New Uni Bill: Akufo-Addo lacked tact and diplomacy – Arthur Kennedy

General News of Saturday, July 6, 2019

Source: starrfm.com.gh

2019-07-06

Arthur Kobina Kennedy, a former presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), said President Akufo-Addo's comment on the new draft law on public universities lacked tact and diplomacy.

In an article, Dr. Kennedy, who is angry at his nonconformist position on NPP issues, said the president's unfortunate comment had led to a new commitment by the UTT president and others. to fight the bill.

The bill on new public universities was rejected by some professors and former vice chancellors, claiming that it was an attempt by the government to control the universities. They also claim that the bill removes academic freedom.

Speaking before the 11th congregation of the University of Advanced Professional Studies, President Kufo-Addo said: "The slight allegations that the bill undermines academic freedom are deliberately false and misleading" .

However, in an article, Mr. Kennedy, even though we must congratulate the government for launching the bill that aims to reform our higher education system, must do so with appropriate consultations. and wider.

Below the full article

RE: PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES BILL (July 5, 2019)

The Public Universities Bill currently under consideration provides an excellent opportunity to conduct a serious and in-depth national debate on the role of all our universities – not just public universities in our development. Unfortunately, this debate is hijacked by accusations and counter-accusations because of an imperfect process. When the first fears of UTAG surfaced, the Minister of Higher Education, Professor Yankah, advised to be patient. He said "colleagues from academia panicked too soon". He added that the government had sent a draft document to the universities and was waiting for comments. He did not specify which stakeholders had been consulted.

One would have expected stakeholders such as university councils and vice chancellors, UTAGs and NUGS to be consulted even before the initial project.

Unfortunately for the process, President Akufo-Addo weighed in without his usual tact and diplomacy. Speaking before the 11th congregation of the University of Professional Studies, he said: "The alleged slight allegations that the bill undermines academic freedom are deliberately mischief and delusional". Some attributed the bill and the chairman's comments to the government's failures to KNUST and STEW-Winneba.

This prompted UTAG, through its president, to condemn the president's words and to commit to fighting the bill.

The President's comments would tend to diminish his admirable exhortation to all of us "to be citizens". The comments of the President and the reaction of some faculty members are regrettable.

We must congratulate the government for introducing the bill. The reform of our system of higher education is long overdue.

Here are some of the reasons why this initiative has fallen behind.

1: Africa produces 10 million graduates a year, half of whom are unemployed one year after graduation, while our young people cross the Sahara and the Mediterranean in search of greener pastures and die by the thousands.

2: Our first university borrowed in an ever-mysterious process that unfolds as gigantic interests multiply.

3: A few years ago, a Vice Chancellor stated publicly that it was not the duty of the university to prepare people for work!

4: The Auditor General has criticized the University of Ghana for failing to have proper rules and procedures for making financial decisions.

Thus, those who claim that universities have the right to chart their own path, including the scholar Prof. Gyampoh, are, to put it mildly, wrong. Universities, even private ones, need to be guided by the wider interests of society.

However, no government can fully grasp the diverse interests of all stakeholders. We must be careful that when reforming public universities we do not make them indistinguishable from each other. You have to be careful not to KNUST, nothing more than Kumasi-Legon! They must not become glorified high schools.

The draft bill raises serious concerns about the appointment of the Chancellor, the ability of universities to reach agreements and the role of the NCTE.

Indeed, most experts around the world believe that the government should take the following measures with regard to public higher education:

1: Subsidize higher education for those who can not afford it.

2: Collect and disseminate data on education.

3: Determine the general eligibility criteria for students and institutions.

4: Support the research activities of universities.

5: Ensure institutional accountability.

Countries all over the world, from Australia to China, are moving towards greater institutional autonomy and not less institutional autonomy. They recognize that autonomy is at the heart of the university's mission.

We must not truncate this important process or muzzle stakeholders. These must include government, industry, academic authorities, speakers, students and the public. The United Kingdom, whose top universities regularly rank among the best in the world, enacted the Higher Education and Research Act in 2017 after an arduous process involving 500 change proposals!

The UTAG should not oppose this bill, but rather SHAPE, in partnership with NUGS and the university authorities. He should detail his objections with clear alternatives and examples of best practice. And this should lead Parliament to listen to stakeholders and develop legislation that truly integrates the contributions of all stakeholders.

Let us respect the axiom that we must not initiate profound changes based on small majorities.

Long live all the unique Legons – Accra Legon, Kumasi Legon and others.

Long live Ghana.

Arthur Kobina Kennedy