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Private varsities seek N500b intervention fund

By Kanayo Umeh, Abuja
07 February 2017   |   2:38 am
The Federal Government has been urged to provide intervention funds to private universities at a single-digit interest rate to help in the development of infrastructure and research programmes.

Education

The Federal Government has been urged to provide intervention funds to private universities at a single-digit interest rate to help in the development of infrastructure and research programmes.

The Association of Pro-chancellors of Private Universities in Nigeria (APPUN) made the call during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu in Abuja. APPUN’s chairman, Prof. Iyorvuese Hagher, stressed the need for the Federal Government to provide intervention fund for private universities nationwide so as to create avenue for the institutions to access loan from Central Bank to facilitate expansion of infrastructure and research programmes.

In a statement yesterday, Hagher also urged the federal and state governments as well as agencies to provide tax-holidays, exemptions and rebates for private universities to help them develop their infrastructure.

‘’We request that import duties on educational materials, including medical equipment’s for our medical schools to be stopped or waived so that the educational sector will not die in a period of economic recession like this.

“We also urge the Federal Government to provide grant to defray the cost of high tuition fees in private universities in order to absorb a sizeable number of young men and women who are qualified but turned away admissions by public tertiary institutions in the country.

‘’We request that the same template that applied to Nollywood, rice production and textile industries be applied to education, especially private universities,’’ he added.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Dr. Jamila Shu’ara, who represented the minister, assured that she would deliver all the requests made by the pro-chancellors to her boss.

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