From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Vice-Chancellor of Baze University, Abuja, Prof. Abiodun Adeniyi, has called for greater government support for private universities, arguing that they contribute significantly to Nigeria’s human capital development and should not be treated merely as profit-making institutions.
Adeniyi made the call yesterday when Education Correspondents visited the university in Abuja.
He said private universities faced substantial financial obligations in providing quality education, maintaining infrastructure, recruiting qualified personnel and meeting regulatory requirements.
According to him, the cost of running a university had become too high for private institutions to rely entirely on internally generated revenue.
“To this end, private universities should not be regarded merely as profit-making ventures, because the cost of running a university was substantial
“Anybody who thinks it is a profit-making organisation is just making a mistake. Look at what it entails to hire staff, buy facilities, provide utilities and execute huge capital-intensive projects. It is difficult,” he said.
The Vice-Chancellor argued that graduates of private universities ultimately joined the same labour market and contributed to the Nigerian economy alongside graduates of public institutions.“We are all citizens of this country. I don’t mind if TETFund wants to support us,” he said.
Adeniyi commended the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Sonny Echono, for initiatives aimed at extending some research programmes to private universities. He, however, urged the Federal Government to expand such interventions, saying greater support would strengthen the capacity of private universities to sustain quality education, undertake research and contribute more effectively to national development.
The Vice-Chancellor also highlighted the strategic location of Baze University in Abuja, saying its position in the Federal Capital Territory made it accessible to students from different parts of the country.
He said the university was established about 15 years ago by its Founder and Chancellor, Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, with the vision of redefining tertiary education in Nigeria and building an institution capable of competing with leading universities globally.
According to him, the institution has deliberately invested in creating a conducive learning environment while keeping its fees competitive despite receiving no direct government allocation.
He said the university had also maintained compliance with regulatory requirements of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the Federal Ministry of Education.
Adeniyi said Baze University was further strengthening its academic standards through the recruitment of scholars from different parts of the world.
He disclosed that the university was also planning to introduce external examiners from foreign institutions to assess the work of its faculties and make recommendations based on global best practices.
“Baze University has a strong partnership with the World Bank-supported IDEAS programme as part of efforts to equip young Nigerians with practical and entrepreneurial skills,” he said.
The Vice-Chancellor said the university had students from Nigeria and other African countries, particularly countries within the West African sub-region.
He added that the institution was working to deepen collaborations with universities and other stakeholders in countries including Sierra Leone and Kenya.
Adeniyi assured that Baze University would continue to expand systematically while remaining guided by regulatory requirements and its commitment to contributing to Nigeria’s educational development and the wider African and global community.
(The Sun)