Favour Ishember, Abuja
The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has sounded the alarm over the Federal Government’s proposed tax reforms, warning that they could have a devastating impact on tertiary education in Nigeria.
Specking in a press statement issued to Daily Champion and authorised by the president, Dr. Smart Olugbeko, the tax reforms are a “dangerous ambush” aimed at destroying public tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
The union strongly rejects the aspects of the proposed tax administration that seek to withdraw or impede funding to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
TETFund is a vital source of funding for tertiary institutions in Nigeria, providing support for infrastructure, research, teaching, and learning facilities, as well as staff development. Without TETFund, many public tertiary institutions would have collapsed.
COEASU argues that the proposed tax reforms will undermine the development of public tertiary education in Nigeria. The union notes that the government has not shown serious concern for education, and has willfully destroyed public institutions through policy somersaults and lack of commitment to education.
The union also points out that the government has not allocated sufficient funds to education, despite UNESCO’s recommendation that 26% of the annual budget should be dedicated to education. In fact, no Nigerian government in the last two decades has committed up to 9% of the annual budget to education.
COEASU suspects that the proposed tax reforms are a clandestine attempt by the elitist political class to destroy public tertiary institutions and pave the way for private institutions to thrive. The union calls on all stakeholders in education to join them in rejecting the proposed tax reforms and saving public tertiary education in Nigeria.