Rethinking Alternative Funding for Tertiary Education

As the Academic Staff Union of Universities embarks on a one-month strike in preparation for a possible indefinite strike over the Federal Government’s non-implementation of agreements reached with the union, Uchechukwu Nnaike writes that institutions urgently need to find alternative sources of revenue

After the protracted strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in 2020, one would have thought that the federal government would do its best to urgently meet the union’s demand so that the universities can cover lost ground. But that is not the case.
The strike that started in March 2020 was suspended in December, and academic activities commenced in January 2021. The union had since been on the negotiation table with the government to no avail.
After a series of threats and appeals to the government to do the right thing, ASUU is prepared to proceed on another indefinite strike. In most cases, the ASUU strike is closely followed by strikes by sister unions in universities and other tertiary institutions, bringing the system to a complete halt.

ASUU’s demands

The union is protesting the federal government’s refusal to sign and implement the 2009 renegotiated agreement with ASUU and the revitalisation of public universities. It said the 2009 renegotiated agreement contained a holistic package that includes the welfare of university staff, how the universities should be operated and the scheme of service, and others.
The union is also seeking the adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) in place of the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) that is currently in use to pay members’ salaries.
ASUU is also calling on the government to regulate the proliferation of state-owned universities. It alleged that some of these governors owe staff salaries and payment of university subventions, leaving the universities with failing infrastructures.

Chronicles of ASUU strikes

In 1988, the union organised a national strike to obtain fair wages and university autonomy. As a result, ASUU was proscribed on August 7 1988, and all its property was seized. ASUU organised further strikes in 1994 and 1996, protesting against the dismissal of staff by the Sani Abacha military regime. ASUU has gone on strike for more than 49 months, which is over four years since 1999.
A breakdown shows that in 1999 it lasted for 150 days; 2001- 90 days; 2002- 14 days; 2003- 180 days (ended in 2004); 2005- 14 days; 2006- seven days; 2007- 90 days; 2008- seven days; 2009- 120 days; 2010- 157 days.
In 2011, it was for 90 days, started in December and ended in 2012; 2013- 150 days and 17 days; 2014- none; 2015- none; 2016- seven days; 2017- 35 days; 2018- 96 days (started November 4, 2018 and ended February 7, 2019); 2020- 257 days.

Effects of ASUU strikes

The obvious effect of ASUU strikes is the disruption of academic activities, which prolongs students’ years of study. It has become a cliche that when admitted, students of public universities are not certain of when they will graduate, unlike private universities that have a regular academic calendar.

Other effects of strike include declining education quality, churning half-baked graduates, and lack of confidence in the public universities, decaying infrastructures, the proliferation of unapproved private universities and other institutions.

Many youths have also opted to study abroad, including in neighbouring countries. Lecturers, parents and students reject stakeholders’ suggestions on alternative funding sources. Over the years, some education stakeholders have suggested alternative sources of funding public universities since the government has admitted that it can’t bear the burden alone. The suggestions include introducing tuition and accommodation fees, commercialising activities on campus, and endowment funds.

ASUU and students vehemently kicked against the introduction of tuition and accommodation fees. The union’s position is that funding universities is the government’s sole responsibility. Students staged peaceful and sometimes violent protests against increased fees in the past.

To generate revenue, some universities introduced part-time, diploma and certificate programmes and business ventures. Most institutions are currently setting up endowment funds.

TETFund

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) is a main sustainable source of funding for higher education. The fund is derived from the two per cent education tax paid from the assessable profit of companies registered in Nigeria. The Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) collects the tax on behalf of the fund.

The agency said it disbursed over N300 billion last year to about 226 tertiary institutions for staff training and development of various infrastructures.
With TETFund being the only intervention agency, the government still needs to provide the bulk of the money required to fund the universities. Since the government has hinted that it cannot do it alone, stakeholders have again implored lecturers to reconsider their stand on funding sources.

Prof. Charles Ukeje of the Obafemi Awolowo University once lamented that most parents pay so much for primary and secondary schools, but their education budget goes down once their children are admitted into public universities.

“So when you hear about the collapse of hostels in any public university, it is what you get, what you put in is what goes out. Nigerians need to have a major national conversation about the future of higher education. If we want higher education, we must be ready to fund it,” he said.

Parents have also been advised to contribute to higher education because developing the country’s education system requires collective efforts.