Students in private universities taking courses not approved by the Commission for University Education (CUE) have recently learnt, to their utter dismay, that they cannot get help from the campuses to resolve the problem, because CUE’s bark is louder than its bite.
Surat Group, owners of the Nigerian Turkish Nile University (NTNU), have recorded another first in Nigeria as the four-year old institution held its maiden convocation for 77 students. Parents and guardians in their gay outfits watched with pride as their wards graduated from four years of hard work, luckily in an institution not encumbered by the incessant strikes the tertiary institutions in Nigeria are known for.
JCT director Petronella Nyamapfene said the trust was focusing on private colleges because there was growing concern over the welfare of children in these institutions.
Thanks to RPF government through numerous education reforms, we are now talking of seven public universities and over a dozen private universities in just 19 years. That is good enough and very impressive by any standards.
The proprietors of private universities in Nigeria are clamouring for financial support from the federal and state governments. They argue that they are playing an identical role to public universities in producing much-needed skills for the country, and thus deserve state funding.
I have tried to highlight the tragic condition of our Universities in Nigeria. The entrance of private Universities is a welcome development. However, NUC must become more vigilant in how these Universities deal with issues of national integration, regional and ethnic chauvinism and how these institutions contribute to the ideals of national unity. To do this, the NUC must try to lead the way by providing standards for the choice of members of the various layers of authority in the Universities. I want to conclude by making the following observations.
The Council Chairman of the Presbyterian University College of Ghana, Sam Okudzeto says it is “misplaced”, “unfair”, “unreasonable” and “unethical” for private universities to be taxed.
A former Education Minister Ekwow Spio-Garbrah says government must give private universities a few years tax holiday before taxing their profits, if any.
Parliament recently amended Section 6 of the Internal Revenue Act, Act 859 of 2000 to exclude private universities from the expression "educational institution of a public character" contained in the definition of organisations exempted from paying tax.