Nigeria’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has criticized the government’s neglect of the education sector, highlighting the country’s low allocation compared to other West African nations.
ASUU President Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, speaking at a workshop in Abuja, said Nigeria dedicates only 4.5 to 7 percent of its budget to education, with less than 70 percent of those funds disbursed. He contrasted this with other West African countries, where education budgets range from 15 to 32 percent.
Osodeke called for an increase in education tax to 10 percent, which he said would boost Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) allocations from N600 billion to N3 trillion annually. He commended states like Enugu, Abia, and Oyo for allocating over 20 percent of their budgets to education.
The ASUU president also criticized some university vice chancellors for not involving stakeholders in the use of TETFund allocations.
