ILORIN – The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund) has been urged to assist Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, as well as other private universities in Nigeria, by Alhaja Sekinat Yusuf, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council at the university.
At the institution’s 13th Convocation on Saturday in Ilorin, Yusuf made the call, stating that support for private institutions is desperately needed.
She pointed out that even with the TETFund’s significant intervention help, the government cannot bear the entire burden of funding tertiary education on its own.
”The Committees of Pro-Chancellors as well as that of Vice-chancellors of Private Universities has over the years made representations to the Federal Government on the dire need for support.
”It is my humble plea that the President would consider this request for TETFund support of Nigerian private universities and this could be achieved by amending the enabling Law which established the body,” she said.
In a same spirit, the university’s chancellor, Alhaji Sayyu Dantata, stated that it was actively putting procedures in place to meet the requirements for the establishment of engineering and medical programmes.
”However, infrastructural deficiency due to paucity of fund is our major challenge.”
The university is therefore in dire need of assistance to make teaching, learning and research conducive to our students across our three campuses at Adeta, Atere and Igbaja.
”In particular, we need sponsors to establish these important faculties and we urge friends of the university, wells wishers, parents and the Alumni to key into the development agenda of the university,” Dantata urged.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Noah Yusuf, urged the graduands to be good ambassadors and not disappoint their Alma mater.
”We have a total of 1,584 graduates, comprising 1,207 Undergraduates, 343 Postgraduates and 31 Diploma Certificate holders.
”Out of the Undergraduates, 26 had First Class, 472 – Second Class Upper, 600 – Second Class Lower and 109 -Third Class.
”For the Post Graduate graduands, 27 were Ph.D while 213 were Masters graduands.
”We are also glad to have eminent Nigerians among the graduands, including the Inspector General of Police, IG-P Kayode Egbetokun; and Chief of Staff to former President Muhammadu Buhari, Amb. Ibrahim Gambari, among others,” he said.
The vice-chancellor revealed that the university started the Green Campus Initiative on August 23 in an effort to support food security in Nigeria. The initiative entailed planting 50,000 tree seedlings at the Faculty of Agriculture, Igbaja campus.
”The activities of our Centre for Peace and Security Studies are also worthy of mentioning. We shall appreciate the support of government at all levels and other stakeholders to support us in this mission of providing practicable and lasting solution to the nation’s security challenge,” he said.
The Nigeria Universities Commission (NUC), according to Mr. Chris Miyaki, Acting Executive Secretary, is reorganising the university system to function at peak efficiency in order to keep up with the global education system.
Kwara Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq reiterated the administration’s commitment to providing every child with equal opportunities in life.
In the person of his deputy, Mr. Kayode Alabi, the Governor urged the people of Nigeria to keep backing the current government in order to guarantee a sustainable future and reap the benefits of democracy.