The coalition of Concerned Technical University Teachers in Ghana, has called on the Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE), not to interfere in the process of conversion of polytechnics into technical universities.
A statement issued by the Coalition on Wednesday [November 2], said it fears the involvement of the NCTE in the process would affect the governance structure of the new technical universities.
[contextly_sidebar id=”PC9ancCBzBVqIALHpZqyhgB0fsQ2G0St”]Signed by Asiedu Kwasi Kokuro, the convener of the coalition, the statement said “We believe that, the guidance on transitional arrangements for Technical Universities (TUs) issued by NCTE to Governing Councils Chairmen and Management of the various Technical Universities (TUs), would affect the governance structure in these new Universities.”
“We believe that, the Governing Councils of all the TUs are autonomous and must be allowed to collaborate with the relevant stakeholders like Unions, Academic Board and Management of the TUs to put into place clear- cut transitional arrangements that would not adversely dislocate the current governance structure existing in the various TUs, it said.
“The NCTE document issued on transitional arrangements and roadmap for evolving Technical Universities, asserts that, the title of institutional heads had changed from Rector to Vice Chancellor, according to the Technical University Act 2016 (Act 922), and therefore the current institutional heads (Rector, Registrar, Finance Officer and Internal Auditor), should act for one year and subsequently advertisement done for these offices to be filled,” it added.
The Coalition of Concerned Teachers argued that, the NCTE does not have the locus to give direction or guidance on the subject of appointment of Vice Chancellor and other Principal Officers of the Technical University.
It said those were the sole mandate of the respective Governing Councils of the schools.
“Although the Technical University Act 2016 (Act 922) makes the current Governing Council interim for a period of not more than ONE (1) year, we believe that, the current Governing Councils have the mandate to ensure that smooth transitional arrangements on governance structure put in place in all the various TUs by working collaboratively with relevant stakeholders in their Universities,” the statement said.
The Coalition therefore called on the NCTE to concern itself with building the capacities of the staff of Technical Universities to enable them function effectively to achieve the expected objective.
“We do sincerely appreciate the key role and effort played by NCTE in the conversion of some Polytechnics to Technical Universities, enactment of the Technical University Act 2016 (Act 922) , and subsequently developing a road map for transitional arrangements for the Technical Universities; but we believe that the governance structure of the Technical Universities is the core duty of TUs Governing Councils, because they would ensure that statutes are enacted and subsequently necessary appointments of Principal Officers made” the statement noted.
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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana