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By Christopher Arko, GNA
Accra, July 17, GNA – Professor Kwesi
Yankah, the state minister for higher education, said that
Ghana's public universities have not strayed from its fundamental mandate
established them.
According to him, although some universities
had allowed differentiation in the programs, however, they had not left much
of their central areas.
"KNUST, mainly a science and
The University of Technology, despite apparent discrepancies, still remains
mainly science and technology between 60 and 70%. University of Ghana
mainly the university of human sciences, despite the addition of a science and
health-related departments, is still a predominant humanist university. "
Professor Yankah did the observation when he
proposed the motion in Parliament for the second reading of the University of
Draft law on Trade and Development Studies, 2018, aimed at
Legal support for the conversion of UDS Campus Wa into an autonomous instance
University.
When he becomes independent, the institution
should meet the higher education needs of the inhabitants of the upper part of the
West Region and beyond.
The Upper West region is the poorest, the least
developed and underfunded in all regions of the country – a situation
which tends to affect access to education, training and, ultimately, to
development of the region.
The view is that the proximity of a university
in the region would stimulate the pursuit of higher education and strengthen the
human resources in the region.
Professor Yankah also acknowledged that certain areas
have been ignored and missed in terms of relevance and focus such as technique
universities, which should have initially retained the 70% mandate
science and technology and 30% human sciences. But it was revered
28% of technology and 68% of human sciences.
He insisted that the new technique
Universities have been mandated to ensure that at least 70% of
their programs should be dedicated to the niche and 30% to
the rest.
"I can imagine how boring universities are
would be, if not only the humanities and there are no areas where you can look
for the interfaces between the human sciences and other disciplines. So, we always allow
this margin of differentiation to take account of important non-niche areas.
Similarly, science-related universities also need the humanities, "he said.
Prof Yankah also called for a closer bond
between the university and his community so that students can spend months
apply to questions useful to the people.
He called for the equitable distribution of
badets of the three autonomous campuses of the University for Development
Studies (UDS).
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, leader of the minority in his
note, the challenges of higher education in Ghana are at three levels
including access, quality and relevance.
He stated that the creation of the UDS and its
the affiliated campuses had changed the economy of all of northern Ghana, in the Wa,
Navrongo and Tamale.
He expressed his concern about the public
universities deviating from their mandate, mission and value, adding that
universities should redefine their mandate and remain consistent within their
requirement.
Mr. Iddrisu also called for a national campaign
dialogue on the future of higher education in the country: "As
country, we probably did not leave what we call our
immediate manpower requirements. What does Ghana need between 2020 and 2030?
our labor needs, "he added.
He said: "We need to force universities to
produce the labor force the country would need and not what they would produce
or deemed desirable.
There is a gap, between people
universities are in training and the country's labor needs, "added that,
it is necessary to train more people in the gas and oil sectors.
Mr. William Agyepong Quaittoo, President of
the Education Committee in its comments stated that the bill seeks to
establish the University of Commerce and Integrated Development Studies, as a
public tertiary institution in Wa, in the Upper West, and it should be a
applied research of international renown and practice-oriented
educational institution, dedicated to business development and
integrated development studies.
He said that the goal is to provide a better
education, disseminate the development of knowledge in enterprises and the
development studies, and undertake research and relationships with individuals
outside the institution in accordance with established principles.
He stressed the need to resort to the use of
critical tools that include information and communication technologies
teaching, research, dissemination of knowledge and administration.
He urged the National Council of Tertiary Education
Education (NCTE) to ensure that the university respects its principles in the
the conduct of teaching and learning, and in the governance of the university.
GNA
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