ASUU opposes inclusion of private universities in TETFund, vows to continue strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared its intention to continue with industrial actions until the government fulfills its demands.

Specifically, the union opposes the Tertiary Education Trust Fund’s (TETFund) plan to include private universities in its projects.

During a two-day interactive session between TETFund and unions of beneficiary institutions, ASUU President Prof Emmanuel Osodeke emphasized the union’s stance.

He argued that including private universities in TETFund projects would lead to a proliferation of low-quality institutions.

Osodeke commended TETFund for its efforts but urged improved monitoring methods to ensure uniform performance among beneficiary institutions. He also called for sanctions against underperforming institutions and advocated for the abolition of the “stakeholders fund.”

In his welcome address, TETFund’s Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, explained that the interactive session aimed to proactively address challenges in the education sector.

Echono stressed the importance of continuous engagement and mutual challenges to enhance the quality of tertiary education.

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“It is our fervent hope that this interactive session will provide an enabling environment for us to understand some of our challenges and difficulties in the delivery of quality education in our institutions and thereby make meaningful contribution to the successful execution of the objective of the Fund.

“As you all know our primary mandate is to rehabilitate, restore and consolidate Tertiary Education in Nigeria, using funding alongside project management.

“The session is also expected to serve as a platform to discuss and mitigate incidences of industrial disputes in the tertiary education sector and look at ways to prevent and avoid their occurrences,” he said.

He further stated that the interactive session will afford the opportunity to build and solidify cooperation and collaboration between the fund, its beneficiary institutions and the unions on matters that affect the growth and development of tertiary education in Nigeria.

“As stakeholders and partners, we intend to share with you all that we have done and continue to do,” he added.

On his part, the former President of Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, who spoke on ‘The Role of Trade Unions in TETFund Intervention Activities’, commended the fund for its strident commitment to the elevation of university education and experience for both lecturers, non-academic workers and the student population in various campuses all over the country.

Wabba noted that the NLC has benefitted a great deal from the ideological clarity and consistency of the unions in the tertiary institutions.

“The patriotic and historical resistance of the Congress against the debilitating influence and impact of neo-liberal policies of successive government in Nigeria drew a lot of inspiration and verve from the intellectually sound positions advanced by unions in our tertiary institutions,” he said.