Tertiary institutions asked to stimulate research activities - Mills

Winneba (C/R) Nov. 1 GNA-President Professor John Evans Atta Mills on Saturday urged tertiary institutions to stimulate research activities in order to become more relevant and competitive within the international academic community.

He said as government continues to commit more resources to the tertiary sector, it is expected that the tertiary institutions would also play their expected roles diligently.

Professor Mills said this in an address read for him by the Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tetteh Enyo, at the 14th congregation of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), where 5,439 from the Winneba Campus were awarded with certificate, Diploma and Degrees. He asked the UEW to step up its efforts at undertaking research in educational policy that would inform Government's policy on education as a whole.

"Additionally, there is the need for the continuous professional training of school leaders, particularly headmasters in basic and secondary level in basic management and accounting skills". He said government would be grateful if the UEW would take the lead in considering the institution of programmes in this direction. President Mills commended the UEW as well as other universities for using the medium of distance education to expand access to tertiary education.

He said government was committed to rectifying all salary distortions to give teachers their due and was committed to applying the single spine salary structure to address this. President Mills therefore urged the graduands to work hard as they enter the field of work.

The Vice-Chancellor of UEW, Professor Akwasi Asabere-Ameyaw said the University has introduced a portfolio assessment system that allows head teachers and Teachers to document their strengths in key areas of the profession such as teaching skills, management skills and assessment skills. The VC said since 2005 the university had been supporting female graduate students and female brilliant undergraduate science, technology and mathematics students to realise their dreams.