Cost sharing debacle; UTAG proposes use of internally generated funds

The University Teachers Association of Ghana, UTAG, says internally generated funds is one sure way of addressing the problems associated with funding tertiary education.

The Association’s suggestion comes in the wake of students' agitations and protests over high cost of tertiary education.

Currently public universities have resorted to cost-sharing as the viable option for funding tertiary education but that is not without problems.

Students have been agitating for government to increase its subsidies while reimbursement from stakeholders has not been forth coming.

UTAG believes funds generated internally could help in resolving the crisis.

Their position was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the association's biennial congress in Tarkwa.

“If government can spell out how many students they want to come up with in every area (programme). Let’s take medicine for instance, (if) you want to come up with 300 students, government should be able to say. So that if we know that medicine will cost us GHS7,000 to train a student, how much is government willing to provide, how much are parents also willing to come up with?” Solomon Nunon, UTAG National Secretary proposed in an interview with Joy News’ Hanna Odame.

He cited delayed release of subventions by government as one of the major challenges the universities are grappling with.

Government in its attempt to resolve the issues has put together a technical committee to recommend practical solutions to the problem of cost-sharing.

The Deputy Education Minister, Mahama Ayariga, said the recommendations by UTAG is welcoming and will be considered by the technical committee.

“Government has always encouraged universities to try and generate funds internally to augment the income that they get from government subventions. We are however careful not to allow a situation where a bulk of the burden is placed on the students,” he said.