Former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Abel Olayinka, has urged a review of the legislation excluding private universities from benefiting from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
Delivering the 17th convocation lecture of Lead City University, Ibadan, titled “Resolving the Trilemma of Access, Affordability, and Quality in the Nigerian University System: A Role for the Entrepreneur,” Olayinka argued that private universities, though not government-established, serve the public good.
He emphasized that students from private universities contribute to national development and participate in programs like the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). “We do not need to cut our nose to spite our face. Although private universities were not established by the government, they are public entities that serve the public good,” he said.
The former VC, now Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at the University of Ibadan, called for more support for private universities, countering the perception that they exist solely for profit. He advocated for extending the Federal Government’s Student Loan Scheme to private university students, stressing that not all of them come from wealthy backgrounds.
Meanwhile, Lead City University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kabir Adeyemi, in his opening remarks, highlighted the institution’s focus on entrepreneurship as a solution to the challenges facing higher education in Nigeria.
