Government will increase funding for research for higher education teachers

General News of Saturday, June 15, 2019

Source: Ghananewsagency.org

2019-06-15

The government announced that it was ready to increase funding for research of higher education teachers by 0.3% to 1% of gross domestic product (GDP).

In addition, the government's budget allocation to higher education must be at least 2.5 percent of GDP, while at least 50 percent of the Ghana Education Trust Fund budget allocation must be allocated to higher education. 'Higher Education.

Professor Mohammed Salifu, executive secretary of the National Council of Higher Education, announced that the government would create a national fund for research and innovation to address the priority areas of research and development for national economic growth and poverty reduction.

He was addressing a national forum on higher education reforms organized by the Ministries of Education and Information in Accra to announce further policy reforms for higher education institutions.

Tuition fees, he said, would be free for all Ghanaian students, with the exception of those who chose the paid category.

Regarding the cost of higher education, he said that it would be shared between the government, higher education institutions, students and the private sector.

Ghanaian students would pay school fees and university residences would pay the cost of public services consumed.

However, non-Ghanaian students would bear the full cost of their education, while higher education institutions will have to generate at least 30% of their budget needs.

Regarding teaching to higher education students, Professor Salifu stated that all academic staff members were required to attend teacher training programs before their institutions approved them.

"The fact that the person has a doctorate does not mean that he or she has the skills to teach well, so the training program will equip them to give them the best of their abilities," he said. .

The executive secretary revealed that educational colleges must be integrated with selected universities as university colleges.

Mathew Opoku Prempeh, Minister of Education, said the government would make sure that all institutions adhere to the new training policy of their lecturers.

He warned public tertiary institutions to refrain from using internally generated funds, claiming that it was part of the public funds that required the 39, government approval before it can be used.

"Funds generated internally are not intended for the institution, and if its use is not supported by law, then it becomes arbitrary," he said.