Private University VC Demand Access to TETFund Grants and Scholarships

The Vice-Chancellor of Gregory University, Uturu, Abia State, Prof. Cele Njoku, has urged the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to extend its interventions to private universities across Nigeria.

Prof. Njoku made the appeal on Wednesday while briefing journalists ahead of the university’s 10th convocation ceremony. She highlighted that the current TETFund funding structure, which primarily supports federal and state-owned institutions, is exclusionary.

“I am appealing to TETFund to extend its funding to private universities, particularly Gregory University, Uturu. Let it be a formal policy,” she stated.

The Vice-Chancellor also shared that Gregory University has adopted three of the 13 new courses recommended by the National Universities Commission, including Artificial Intelligence, International and Security Studies, and Cooperative Economics and Management.

Prof. Njoku further called on government authorities to support the university in overcoming infrastructure challenges, such as electricity supply and road access, while noting that the campus remains free from insecurity issues. She disclosed that about 334 students will graduate this convocation across Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral programmes.

Founded in 2012 with three colleges, Gregory University now boasts 12 colleges and 54 departments equipped with modern facilities to prepare students for future careers. Prof. Njoku emphasized the university’s focus on entrepreneurial education through its Innovation Hub in Abuja, where students transform projects into tangible products.

She highlighted specialized practical training for law, nursing, and medical students, including opportunities for graduates to sit for international professional examinations. Gregory University also offers instruction in five foreign languages—French, Spanish, German, Chinese, and Hebrew—alongside Igbo—to enhance global communication and cultural competency.

Prof. Njoku concluded that these initiatives position Gregory University to compete with other institutions nationally and internationally, providing students with a holistic and globally competitive education.