We will not meddle in the management of public universities – Minister of Education

General News on Friday, June 14, 2019

Source: 3news.com

2019-06-14

Education Minister Matthew Opoku Prempeh said the government has no intention of interfering in the management of higher education institutions in the country.

He added that some stakeholders have suggested that the government intends to use the newly drafted Public Universities Bill to occupy a central place in the management of public tertiary institutions.

Speaking at a forum on higher education reforms, Mr. Opoku Prempeh said that the government, through the Ministry of Education, was not looking for to involve all universities in a single policy to properly regulate the higher education sector.

The government was criticized for attempting to hide behind the bill to take over the management of public universities when the content of the document became public.

Professor Ernest Aryeetey, former vice-chancellor of the University of Ghana, said the new policy would allow the government to interfere in the management of higher education institutions and curb internal initiatives. within these establishments.

But Dr. Opoku Prempeh dismissed these concerns, saying the policy would put Ghana at the same level as tertiary institutions worldwide while improving higher education in the country.

"… we did not have to tinker with the management of higher education institutions, not at all," he said at the forum on Friday.

He also said that his ministry has widely mobilized all stakeholders in the education sector to ensure the establishment of a comprehensive education policy.

"A bill has been handed out to all stakeholders for them to pbad through their communities and give us suggestions on how to improve the bill," explained Dr. Opoku Prempeh .

Professor Mohammed Salifu, executive secretary of the National Council of Higher Education, explained that the bill was part of the measures taken to improve higher education in Ghana.

Professor Salifu said the new bill would allow students of higher education to benefit from what one might call a limited free education.

"Tuition fees will be free for Ghanaian students, except for those who opt for the paid category," he said, but checks by 3news.com revealed that clbades are already free for all students from different public universities in the country.

He pointed out that students pay only the fees for the use of educational institutions, residential use fees and utility costs.

Non-Ghanaian students, however, will badume the full cost of their studies, he said.

In highlighting some key interventions in the bill, Professor Salifu mentioned issues of governance and management, equity and access, quality and relevance, funding and cross-cutting issues. in the bill.

As part of the measures to put in place an adequate system, higher education institutions should generate at least 30% of their annual budget internally.