The Vice Chancellor of Trinity University, Prof. Clement Kolawole, has called on the Federal Government to expand financial aid from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to include private universities, not limiting it to government-owned institutions.
Kolawole made this appeal during a mentorship program in Lagos organized by Trinity University in collaboration with Etiquette Poise and Protocol Resources.
The event aimed to guide approximately 596 secondary school pupils seeking admission to higher education.
Expressing his viewpoint, Kolawole stated that TETFund should support private universities as well, emphasizing that both government and private institutions share the common goal of building future leaders.
He viewed the exclusion of private institutions from the fund as an attempt to marginalize them.
The VC underscored the importance of collaboration, urging the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to recognize private university administrators as part of the broader academic community working toward shaping the nation’s future.
The mentorship event, named ‘The Campus Flaws,’ was designed to prepare students for higher education, instilling essential values and insights for informed decision-making.
In a related context, Olutunji Oladimeji, Chairman of Etiquette Poise and Protocol Resources (ERPA), highlighted the leadership deficit in Nigeria.
He explained that the mentorship program was strategically developed to address leadership issues and equip young individuals with the necessary skills and character to navigate challenges they may encounter in tertiary institutions.
Oladimeji stressed the significance of proactive training, citing statistics on issues like early abortions and exposure to social vices among tertiary students. The program aims to address these challenges and better prepare students ahead of their journey into higher education.
