What the ASUU/FG 2009 Agreement said about University Funding

by YWriter

According to the document obtained by Premium times, it was agreed to recommend that:

1. All regular Federal Universities shall require the sum of one trillion , five hundred and eighteen billion, three hundred and thirty-one million, five hundred and forty-five thousand, three hundred and four naira (N1,518,331,545,304) only for the period 2009-2011 as follows:

 

Year                                        Amount (N)

2009                                        472,031,575,919

2010                                        497,531,778,701

2011                                        548,768,190,681

Total                                       1,518,331,545,304

b.) Each State University shall require three million, six hundred and eighty thousand and eighteen Naira (N3,680,018) per student for the period 2009 – 2011 as follows:

                                    Year                                        Amount (N)

                                    2009                                        1, 144, 075

                                    2010                                        1, 205, 880

                                    2011                                        1, 330, 063

                                    Total (approximated)                        3,680,000

These amounts include Recurrent and Capital Grants, and are based mainly on the disaggregated returns from the universities.

SOURCES OF FUNDING

Federal and State Governments

The goal of this negotiation is to put Nigeria in a strong position to become a knowledge-based society that will be able to compete and survive in the 21^st century. To achieve this, the entire education system requires massive funding at all levels. While non-budgetary sources have a role to play, and there must be continuous efforts to identify and use them prudently, the major source of funding education for national development is through budgetary allocation from State and Federal Governments. With this in view, the Re-negotiation Committee agreed to recommend to the relevant authorities that:

• A minimum of 26% of the annual budget of the State and Federal Governments be allocated to education;
• At least 50% of the budgeted 26% shall be allocated to the universities; and,
• The representation of the Federal Ministry of Education to the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission to put education on the “First Charge” be vigorously pursued.
• Being mindful of the processes for meeting this goal of 26% annual budgetary allocation to education as enunciated in the UNESCO benchmark, the Federal Government shall endeavour to progressively increase its budgetary allocation to the education sector in accordance with its vision 20:2020 programme.

Federal Government Assistance to States for Higher Education

It was agreed that the Federal Government should, as appropriate, provide general assistance both to the State Governments that are proprietors of the Universities and those that do not own Universities but need assistance in the area of higher education, as allowed by the Nigerian Constitution (Section 164.1)

Education Tax Fund

            It was agreed to recommend that the Education Tax Fund Act be amended to:

1. Return the Education Tax Fund to its original conception as Higher Education Fund;
2. Make the Education Tax Fund more effective as an intervention to rehabilitate, restore and reposition Tertiary Educational Institutions in Nigeria in order to develop a knowledge-based society in the twenty-first century;

• Make for a better representation on the Board of Trustees of the Education Tax Fund;

1. Propose a fair procedure for the disbursement of the fund through the creation of a Team of Experts to assess research proposals submitted to the Board of Trustees;
2. Provide a better specification of the areas in which the funds shall be disbursed;
3. Make appropriate specification of qualities of members of the Board of Trustees in order to reflect the change in the conception of the Fund; and,

• Propose the proportion of disbursement of the funds between the Universities, Polytechnics, and Colleges of Education.

Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF)

It was agreed that Governing Councils of Universities shall access and effectively utilize funds from PTDF for research, training and development of academic staff. Accordingly, it is recommended that Government shall encourage PTDF to assist Universities in this regard.

Transfer of Landed Property

This was an item of agreement in both the 1992 and 2001 FGN/ASUU Agreements. It was, therefore, agreed that the Implementation Monitoring Committee of this Agreement shall pursue its implementation as appropriate.

Patronage of University Services

It was agreed that the Federal and State agencies shall be encouraged to patronize quality university consultancies, without prejudice to the principle of due process.

Funds from Alumni Association

It was agreed that Governing Councils of Universities shall encourage Alumni Associations to contribute funds to Universities through direct funding endorsements, bequests, etc.

Other Sources of Funding

Cost-Saving Measures

It was agreed that each academic department in the Nigerian Universities shall be provided with minimum set of equipment to enable it to execute its mandate. The collective use of highly specialized equipment of exceedingly high cost through establishment of central laboratories among departments should be encouraged. However, this cannot be a substitute for specialized laboratories in departments. Each University shall arrange its own cost-saving measure.

Duty-Free Importation of Educational Materials by Universities

It was agreed that Universities shall be entitled to duty-free importation of books, laboratory equipment, journals and other teaching and research materials.

Setting up Research Development Units by Companies Operating in Nigeria

It was agreed that Government shall encourage companies registered in Nigeria to intensify their Research and Technical Collaboration with Nigerian Universities within the next ten years, with a view to playing a more significant role in the development of research and relevant technologies in Nigerian Universities.

Three-Year Rolling Plan

It was agreed that Government shall, in respect of University Education, formulate and implement a three-year rolling plan.

Budget Monitoring Committee

It was agreed that, to help in enforcing discipline and ensuring budget performance, each University Governing Council shall set up a Budget Monitoring Committee.

The Committee shall comprise one elected representative each, of Congregation, Senate, ASUU, SSANU, NAAT, NASU and the Students’ Union, with an external member of the Governing Council as Chairman.

It was further agreed that Government and its agencies shall make public all funds released to Universities immediately after the release.

It was also agreed that each University shall:

1. Resuscitate and make operational and transparent the democratic budgetary structures and processes provided for in University laws or that were traditional to Universities;
2. Utilize funds mainly for (a) effective remedy of deficiencies in programmes and facilities; and (b) systematic upgrading of programmes and facilities; and,

• Be guided by the principles enshrined in the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007 and the Public Procurement Act 2007 as well as fiscal transparency.

University Post-Doctoral Fellowship

It was agreed to recommend that each University Governing Council should introduce Post-Doctoral Fellowship Leave with Pay outside Nigeria into the University’s Conditions of Service as part of its Staff Development Programme, to be funded as appropriate.

Provision for Teaching and Research Equipment

It was agreed that the provision of up-to-date equipment in each department, to facilitate teaching and research, shall be reflected in the Annual Budget of Universities.

National Research Fund

It was agreed that there shall be a National Research Fund domiciled with ETF, with funds drawn from ETF and other sources and disbursed on a competitive basis.