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TETFUND receives N189bn as education tax in 2021 – Bogoro

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) has said that it received N189 billion as Education Tax collection (EDT) in 2021.

Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, the Executive Secretary of TETFUND, announced this at its 2021 Education Development Tax (EDT) forum on Tuesday in Jos.

The forum, organised in collaboration with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), aimed at improving EDT in the country.

The event tagged “Improving EDT Collection in the Post Pandemic Era”, had participants from various higher institutions of learning and other government organisations.

Bogoro, who was represented by Mr Irene Erivwo, the Director Strategic Planning and Development of TETFUND, said that the figures generated in the year under review were far lower compared to previous years.

He, however, explained that the advent of COVID-19 pandemic had grossly affected the revenue generation in the nation, hence the need for deeper collaboration toward scaling up the generation of EDT.

“Over the years, TETFUND has been recording improvement in the education tax collection.

“For example, in 2013, the Fund had an EDT of more than N270 billion and since then FIRS has been striving to achieve the annual EDT targets in spite the obvious challenges.

“In 2021, the fund received an EDT collection of N189 billion, which was considerably lower than the previous years.

“COVID-19 pandemic, no doubt affected economic activities globally and this had negative effect in the EDT collection for 2021.

“We are equally aware that economic activities were seriously slowed down and, in some cases, halted from March 2020 when lock-down was imposed and movement within the country restricted.

“This affected the performance of industries and companies which invariably affected the EDT collection for 2021,” he said.

Bogoro, who said the forum is an annual event, added that it would avail TETFUND and FIRS the opportunity to barnstorm on ways to improve EDT collection.

He said that the forum created an opportunity for the enhancement of the existing working relationship between the two organisations.

“This forum is a yearly platform that the Fund and FIRS engages in strategic discussion on EDT collection.

“It has become necessary for us to increase our drive in EDT collection to enable the fund meet up with the challenges and its commitment to the development of our tertiary education system.

“It is worrisome that the EDT collection for 2021 was far below the target set for the year, hence the need for such forum to address these issues,” he added.

Bogoro, however, noted that TETFUND had recorded significant impact on infrastructural development, adding that the National Research Fund (NRF) has increased from N5 billion to N7.5 billion in 2020 and N8.5 billion in 2021.

The executive secretary added that the fund funded the establishment of centres of excellence each in twelve selected institutions between 2020 and 2021.

He said that it has started a capacity building programme for beneficiary institutions aimed at improving the global competitiveness and visibility universities, entrepreneurship and skills development for polytechnics and pedagogy skills and curriculum development for colleges of education.

Muhammad Nami, the Executive Chairman of FIRS, described the forum as timely, adding that it would foster relationship and create opportunity for exchange of ideas toward the actualisation of their mandates.

Represented by Dr Dick Irri, the Coordinating Director, Compliance Support Group of FIRS, Nami acknowledged that 2021 was indeed a challenging year.

He, however, said that it had put modalities on ground, including the deployment of a home-grown technology and that more taxes would be collected in 2022.

He maintained that the newly developed software known as “Taxpromax”, would enable taxpayers file and pay taxes with ease.

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Importation of skilled labour contributes to unemployment  

The Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund(TETFund), Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, says importation of skilled labour is contributing to increased level of  unemployment  and social unrest in Nigeria.  

Bogoro made this known at a capacity building workshop in Abuja on Wednesday.  

The workshop, organised by TETFund for beneficiary polytechnics in Northern Geopolitical Zone, has the theme: “Improving Skills Development in Nigerian Polytechnics for economic growth, entrepreneurship and social inclusion”.  

Bogoro stressed that it was unwise to continuously rely on importation of technology for national development in view of its consequences.  

He said rather than importing skills, Nigeria should draw lessons from the Asian tiger that had greatly developed their local technology not only for national development but export.  

The executive secretary called on polytechnics to rise to the challenges of a 21st century knowledge economy by reinventing themselves to provide needed skill gaps for sustainable technological growth.  

“In spite of the considerable efforts on the part of government in Nigeria’ s public polytechnics, there is still a lot to be done by the polytechnics themselves.  

“This is particularly in the area of promoting entrepreneurial development for the Nigerian society.  

“This will no doubt go a long way in solving some of the perennial challenges of unemployment and social unrest amongst our youths.  

“The acquisition of skills prepares individuals with the capabilities to compete globally for gainful employment and helps solve challenges in many areas, creating a brighter future for all,”he said.  

The executive secretary called for improvement in polytechnic education, particularly in the area of practical work to provide needed skilled labour for the economy.  

He also called for replacement of obsolete training facilities to meet global standards, development of skill acquisition programmes and review of curriculum to enhance Information Communication Technology (ICT).  

Bogoro assured that TETFund would continue to provide training and equipment to its beneficiary polytechnics to enable them deliver on their mandates.  

The Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje, warned that the board would no longer accredit polytechnics that did not have provision for skills training.  

Bugaje, who was the coordinator of the workshop, expressed concern over inability of polytechnics to meet the skill gap in Nigeria.  

He also expressed concern over the conversation of polytechnics to universities, saying it had dire consequences on the country’s economy.  

Bugaje stressed that for every graduate of Engineering from the university for instance, about five skilled technicians, basically produced by polytechnics, were needed, calling for reversal of polytechnics conversion.  

Meanwhile, participants at the workshop, largely Directors and Rectors of polytechnics, expressed optimism that they would be better equipped at the end of the workshop for the paradigm shift required.