Prominent lawyer, Chief Afe Babalola, has called on the Federal Government to consider private universities in the disbursement of the Education Trust Fund, arguing that many private universities were registered as non-profit making ventures.
Babalola, while delivering the keynote address at a retreat organised by the management of Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, described private ownership of universities in Nigeria as an attempt by concerned Nigerians to help the government to solve the problems facing the country’s education system.
He said the quality of education offered by Ivy league universities abroad, such as Stanford University and Harvard University, would not be matched by Nigeria if the provision of education was left for government alone.
While describing education as a very expensive enterprise, Babalola also noted that the budget allocated to the sector was far below the recommendation of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organisation.
The philanthropist commended the Founder of Elizade University, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, for joining hands with him and others to give quality education to the younger generation.
He enjoined members of the staff of the university to make the most use of the opportunity of the retreat to improve on their productivity and professionalism.
Speaking earlier, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Theophilus Fadayomi, said the idea of the staff retreat was in fulfilment of the management’s promise of on-the-job training for the staff. He gave the assurance that regular retreats, seminars and conferences would be held in the future for the purpose of improving the productivity of the staff.