One of the signs of this danger is in the unused capacity within the private tertiary sector, the Minister noted on the Citi Breakfast Show.

[contextly_sidebar id=”3IKfWDtnAU5WZu5WPXRoaiOXURNwka91″]There are about 75 private universities operating in Ghana, but they have to contend with just about 20 percent of the market share.

“The smaller number, being the state-owned [universities], have a bigger share of the student enrollment. They have about an 80 percent share as against what the private universities have. They have only about an 18 to 20 percent share… Many of the private universities are in danger of collapse and I must say that there are signs in various parts of various private universities.”

He cited the straitjacket on the grade cut-off points set up by the government as one of the causes of this problem.

“We have for several years now been deluding ourselves into thinking that that below C6, that is those who get D7, E8 and so on, are not qualified to enter university. I think we should begin revising our ideas.”

“For many private universities and public universities in general, admissions are declining… [There is] higher competition, there are many new universities sprouting every day of the week and so on and so forth. So for the same resources and the same pool of potential applicants, we have many many more [schools],” Prof. Yankah explained.

Role of tax breaks

In 2017, the government announced that privately-owned universities were granted tax reliefs, and will no longer be required to pay the 25 percent corporate income tax.

Prof. Yankah explained that “the real reason for that is to allow the private universities to expand so they can reinvest any money they make.”

He however said the government was not going to interfere in the pricing of school fees, which could potentially lead to an increase in admissions of private schools.

According to him, “competition will drive that [school fees] down automatically… we cannot dictate to a private entity what they must charge.”

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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He has hinted of plans to make university education universally free after the smooth implementation of the Free Senior High School Program.

President Akufo-Addo was speaking at an end-of-year party for children organized by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection at his hometown of Kyebi as part of his tour of the Eastern Region.

“I have two things to share with you on education. First the government treasures education and so, we will do everything to make it easily accessible to all children. If God permits and we are able to fix this economy for it to improve, we will even make university education free,” the President stated.

He further assured that the ongoing Free SHS policy “will never be cancelled. It is here to stay. It is an irreversible piece of social legislation. When we leave, it will remain.”

The President said his government will do all it can to ensure all students in the country go to school to better themselves.

The Akufo-Addo administration has consistently retorted to critics of the Free SHS programme who have claimed that the programme is not sustainable that his government will do everything possible to sustain the programme.

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By: Neil Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Professor Sam Afrane also described the current mentorship system for private universities as cumbersome, indicating that it slows the growth of private institutions in terms of innovation and advancement.

He spoke to Citi News at a matriculation ceremony to admit 414 students to pursue various undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at the school.

The students comprise 263 males representing 64%, and 151 females also representing 36%.

329 representing 79%, were admitted to pursue Undergraduate programmes, and 85 of them representing 21% to pursue Postgraduate programmes.

Professor Afrane called on government to redesign the functions of the regulatory institutions such as the National Accreditation Board (NAB) and Affiliate institutions to ensure their roles do not overlap.

He indicated that the current system makes it difficult and expensive for private universities since there is duplication of functions between affiliate institutions and the Accreditation Board.

The CSUC President also appealed to Government to properly review the process of making private universities autonomous to enable institutions who qualify to charter and award their own degrees.

He said private universities who are given the chance to charter will still submit themselves to standards and re-assessment by the Accreditation Board and other regulatory bodies.

“Autonomy does not mean freedom forever. We will continue to work with the Accreditation Board and the Ministry of Education. The current mentorship system is so cumbersome and so long, it takes you more than one year to develop a new course. These things, I think must be done away with so that we can move forward in a manner that helps tertiary education development in our country.”

He advised the matriculants to work hard and be determined since the CSUC has committed and dedicated lecturers who will help them to understand the core concepts of programmes they opted to pursue.

He said the institution will soon establish E-Learning Centers in other towns within the country to enroll students who cannot make it for the regular programmes because of their difficult work schedules and destinations.

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By: Hafiz Tijani/Citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post CSUC President renews call for charter for private universities appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

“Let me emphasize that this government led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo is not interested in building Universities simply for votes or for that matter thanking supportive constituencies with Universities, and conversely denying constituencies of facilities and institutions, as sanctions for votes that have been thrown away to other parties,” he said.

[contextly_sidebar id=”oBUtl4WYXB3Ja76rrL8RjtZgnCWUCPtS”]Prof. Yankah was speaking at the 18th Congregation of the Wa campus of the University for Development Studies (UDS) when he made this assertion.

He noted that government would continue to encourage the setting up of Universities whose courses and programmes respond to the nation’s strategic needs and developmental priorities.

The Minister said this explains the government’s enthusiasm in fulfilling the tenets of the 2015 Act that set up the University of Environmental and Sustainable Development at Somanya, with other campuses.

“As I speak, the Italian firm which was awarded the contract to start work at the University site in Somanya, is preparing to move to site before this November ends.”

Additionally, he announced that government would build a University at Bunso that will specialize in Agriculture and Agro-entrepreneurship on one hand, as well as have a school of Engineering and Technology.

The Minister of State in charge of Tertiary Education explained that, in selecting Bunso, government took into consideration a pre-existing hub of agriculture related institutions that could network and transform the location into a formidable research triangle and a centre of excellence.

The institutions, he said, included University College of Agriculture and Environmental Studies at Bunso, the Cocoa College (belonging to the Cocoa Board), the Cocoa Research Institute at Tafo, and a research facility belonging to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.

Prof. Yankah hinted that, feasibility studies on that project are currently being undertaken by a team of consultants from Korea, working hand-in-hand with their Ghanaian counterparts.

“These Developments are bound to boost Ghana’s prospects in agricultural engineering and technology in furtherance of their national priorities”, he said.

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Source: GNA

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The National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education is organising the summit with the support of Trust Africa, Senegal.

It is under, the theme: “Crafting a National Vision and Plan for the 21st Century”, a statement issued in Accra, and signed by Mrs. Hilda Asante, the Head of Public Relations and Documentation of the NCTE, has said.

The statement, which was copied to the Ghana News Agency, in Accra, urged all stakeholders, and the public, to participate in Wednesday’s event, which would be held at the Mensvic Hotel, at East Legon, in Accra.

The Summit is a follow-up to the National Policy Dialogue on Tertiary Education, which was held in 2013.

The statement said the Summit would offer an opportunity for stakeholders to make recommendations not only to inform a draft National Vision and Plan for Tertiary Education, but also propose an implementation framework.

It would also provide input into the current efforts at developing a long-term national development plan for the nation.

The statement quoted Professor Mohammed Salifu, the Executive Secretary of the NCTE as saying, “The summit will provide an opportunity for stakeholders in education, policy-makers, industry and civil society to deliberate on the sub-thematic areas of the draft national Vision and Plan document.”

The areas are postgraduate training, research and development, funding, private sector participation, diversification and differentiation”.

He explained, “This will help in the supervision, management and governance of Tertiary Education in Ghana and make it more responsive to the country’s development needs in the 21st century”.

About 150 participants selected from academic institutions, civil society organisations, think tanks, Ministries, Departments, Agencies, the private sector, Parliament and the media, would attend the Summit with, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, the Minister of Education as the Special Guest of Honour.

Speakers would include Prof. C.N.B Tagoe, Chairman of the NCTE and a Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana and Prof. Josephus Anamuah-Mensah, a Former Vice-Chancellor, University of Education, Winneba.

The rest are Prof. Ivan Addae-Mensah, a Former Vice Chancellor, University of Ghana and Dr. Omano Edigheji, Consultant/Advisor, Africa’s Higher Education Dialogues, Trust Africa.

The NCTE was established by the NCTE Act 1993 (Act 454), to oversee the proper administration of institutions designated as institutions of tertiary education in Ghana, and to advise the Minister of Education on the development of the institutions.

It is committed to providing leadership in tertiary education by also advising the Government and all relevant institutions, to enhance access, quality, equity, relevance and governance.

Trust Africa works principally through collaboration and partnership with like-minded institutions and donors and as a catalyst and a convener.

It is committed to generating and testing new ideas.

“It also strives to practice good governance and promote it among its grantees, according to the statement.

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Source: GNA

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According to the association, in its resolve to fight for the rights of its members, they have been tagged as a group that enjoys embarking on strike.

Speaking at the first national experts’ forum in Accra, President of UTAG, Dr. Harry Agbenu, lamented that the label does not auger well for the association.

“UTAG is an association of intellectuals and experts in all fields of academic endeavor whose contributions to national development cannot be overemphasized. Unfortunately, UTAG has over the years been presented to the public as an association of self-seeking egoistic individuals who have no concern for the national course and are willing at the least opportunity to go on strike without regard for the negative impact of such actions on academic work and national development.”

The UTAG President also noted that , the association can achieve more for the country if government stops distracting them.

According to him, the association has the potential to proffer solutions to the country’s problems and called on government to create a favorable working environment to motivate them to do even more.

“The UTAG express forum is not only a re-branding effort of the association, it is also a demonstration of the fact that when stakeholders especially governments do not unnecessarily distract us by wasting our time chasing the little genuinely due us, there is a lot we can think about and do to fast track the developmental agenda of our dear nation. UTAG is ready and willing to harness and deploy its expertise to solving national problems. All we ask for is the space and encouragement to do so,” he added.

The forum in partnership with Citi FM, was held at the University of Ghana.

UTAG threaten strike over book and research allowance

UTAG earlier this year, threatened to embark on strike if government fails to release its book and research allowance.

The union had been complaining about the delay of the payment of the allowances for the 2015/2016 academic year, which in previous years led to strikes by the lecturers and disrupted the academic calendar.

Government subsequently released GHc 37 million to the Controller and Accountant General’s Department for the payment of the allowances.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

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Some first years who reported to school on Monday, were forced to spend the night with friends in already crowded rooms while others put up with relatives outside the campus.

According to a reporter with KNUST’s Focus FM, Edward Oppong Marfo, some of the freshers who had traveled from many parts of the country, were unable to secure accommodation in any of the school’s traditional halls of residence due to the non-availability of space.

[contextly_sidebar id=”mSTV9Culmm1ywXSL47bs1UxJ8PdpbRqT”] “All first year students were supposed to choose their rooms online to be given one of the traditional halls of residence; but this year, the number of first years admitted, exceeded the required capacity of the traditional halls, so some of the first years were forced to move outside of campus to look for hostels”.

Some of the affected students lamented they could not afford the charges for private hostels around the school which cost between GH¢ 2000 and GH¢ 3000 for an academic year.

Continuing students thrown out

Some continuing students resident in some of the traditional halls were ejected from their rooms after a “short notice” to make room for freshers.

Reports say they were given assurances of a refund of their monies to enable them seek accommodation elsewhere.

SRC hostel facility project 

Ahead of the commencement of the academic year, the Student’s Representative Council (SRC) of KNUST, had received payments from interested students who wanted to secure a place in a new hostel facility it was constructing with the hope of completing the project before the start of the school year, but sources at the school say students who had made the payments were being accommodated in a study room because the hostel facility had not been completed yet.

Management’s alternative arrangement

A message purportedly circulated by Dr. Kofi Owusu Daaku, the Dean of Students to freshers, urged them to make payments of between GH¢1,000 and GH¢ 1,200 into a mobile money account to secure them a place in an alternative hostel.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Mahama’s administration is currently running what it calls a progressively free Senior High School education policy.

[contextly_sidebar id=”YwYrAGSF7KzunxOnkpeYGY1zQMLlcu9h”]The President made the announcement on Wednesday while addressing students of the University of Cape Coast as part of his five-day tour of the Central Region.

“I wish to assure you that, as Ghana’s GDP continues to grow and as you continue to make wealth, we will continue to make tertiary education progressively free so that you pay less fees. In the meantime; we are investing heavily in tertiary education in order to make the teaching and learning experience good for you.”

President Mahama also said the amount of money his government is investing in tertiary education “is really massive and that is supposed to improve the quality of teaching and learning in our universities.”

Poly conversions

Government has so far converted six polytechnics in the country into what it calls technical universities.

But critics have expressed skepticism about the viability of the conversion saying the concept has not been well-thought through.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

&nbsFollow @AlloteyGodwin

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