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The Ministry of Education explained that the draft law on public universities aimed to harmonize the management of public universities.
Explaining the rationale for the bill during an exclusive interview in Accra yesterday, the State Minister for Higher Education, Professor Kwesi Yankah, said that this project The purpose of the Act was not to restrict academic freedom and the autonomy of public universities.
For example, he said, while the appointment to the board of governors of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) was for a period of two years, the boards of governors of other universities had a three-year term.
In addition, he said, some of the public universities had 12 boards of 12 members, while others had 15 or 21 boards.
"We are trying to harmonize some of these inconsistencies and lack of uniformity in the management of public universities to ensure that when you talk about Ghanaian universities, we are singing the same thing," he said. did he declare.
Professor Yankah badured that the government was not interested in the aspect of the diversity of universities and had no intention of touching it.
General Tollé
The bill, which has been submitted to public universities for their opinion, has elicited mixed reactions among a portion of the public and stakeholders, including some university lecturers.
While some stakeholders claim that the bill seeks to remove the academic freedom and autonomy of public universities, the Ministry of Education says the reactions are premature because the document is only a draft.
Premature panic
Professor Yankah was of the opinion that his "university colleagues panicked too soon.
Their reaction was a premature, unnecessary dramatized, exaggerated and pointless panic, denoting a lack of trust in the system, a lack of confidence in the government and its sensitivity to democracy, academic freedom and autonomy. institutional ".
"It also understates the caliber of people in the ministry and government who have been running universities for years, including our council of advisors, like Professor J. Anamoah-Mensah, Professor Mohammed Salifu, my good friend. the sector minister, "he said.
He therefore advised those who criticized the document, which he described as a "near-zero bill," to hold their breath because no one wanted to deny the academic freedom of public universities.
Main speakers
As a background, Professor Yankah stated that the whole issue concerned the leak of a draft document that had been submitted in confidence to the respective Vice-Chancellors in order to win their support as key stakeholders of the project. Higher education.
He added that it was impossible for the government to develop a new policy without the participation of stakeholders, as these would lead it.
Government expectation
He added that the government expected stakeholders to criticize the document and make comments, suggestions and recommendations.
"This will then form the basis of the internal consultation with the ministry for the results to be added," he said, adding that it would have helped and the government was waiting for it.
Until now, he stated that only the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) and the University of Development Studies (UDS) had expressed their concerns and that "we always wait for those of other universities ".
Professor Yankah promised the ministry. and in this regard, the government would not be distracted in its march forward to reform education in the country, including higher education.
Government commitment
He further badured that "this government is not about to overturn the principles of academic freedom" and recalled the "antecedents" of the government and its predecessors as to their commitment to academic freedom and the autonomy of the institutions.
He badured Ghanaians that the government would deepen intellectual freedom, academic freedom and institutional autonomy, adding, "We are not about to extend the long arm of government in promoting and admitting citizens . "
Professor Yankah said that people were unnecessarily frightened and wondering what made them think that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government would change its freedom and development and suddenly start singing the air of others.
"We are not known for this type of abuse that people anticipate. I would rather ask them to channel their views and help us shape the governance of universities, "he said.
Professor Yankah said that if there was a reversal of academic freedom and autonomy, "at least it would not be Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. It is not up to this government to do that, nor even anything. The worst offenders to academic freedom are well known. "
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