Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan
The Vice-Chancellor, McPherson University, Seriki Sotayo, Ogun State, Prof. Francis Igbasan, yesterday, appealed to the federal government to include private universities as beneficiaries of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) and their students in Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
He lamented that the exclusion of private varsities as well as their students from the two agencies of the federal government amounts to depriving the students their rights as citizens of Nigeria and the institutions of what they should also enjoy.
Igbasan, while addressing a press conference to herald the combined 8th and 9th convocation ceremonies of the institution, billed for Friday February 28, maintained that the federal government has no reason to exclude private varsities and their students from the interventions as they also contribute their quota to the growth of the country.
The VC then called on President Bola Tinubu, the Ministers of Education and other stakeholders in the education sector to consider private universities as beneficiaries of TETFUND and their students as beneficiaries of NELFUND, stating that private institutions needed the intervention to develop their infrastructures while the students are also bonafide citizens of Nigeria.
He said: “Private universities are crying out, the TETFUND should not be meant for public institutions alone but for private universities also. Excluding us from the fund is a discrimination, it is bad, as the private universities are equally training the future leaders of our country.
“Similarly, excluding students of private institutions from NELFUND is like short changing the students, these students are citizens of Nigeria who will also contribute to the economy of the nation after leaving school.”
Igbasan, while reeling out statistics of graduands for the convocation ceremonies, said 281 students will be graduating with 24 making First Class, 116 with 2nd Class Upper, 65 with 2nd Class Lower, and 13 with Third Class.
He added that a former VC of Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State and Ekiti State Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko, will deliver the Convocation Lecture titled, “A Nation in Transition : Managing the Yearning of its Restless Youths”, declaring that the vision of the university, owned by Foursquare Gospel Church Nigeria, was to build a people of excellence and integrity for service with a mission to provide qualitative, functional and sound education with Godly virtues that will prepare men and women for leadership and positive impact on the society.
According to him, “We are not unaware of some unwelcoming anti-social vices prevalent among the youths that have started creeping into the university campus. Here at McPherson University, no room for such behaviour. About 14 students have been placed on suspension in this academic session alone. So, we don’t condone indiscipline here.
“This is because our certificate is a testament of our integrity and an affirmation that the recipient has been found worthy in learning and in character.”
