Accra, July 12, GNA - Members of Graduate Students' Association of Ghana (GRASAG), have appealed to government to participate in the funding of postgraduate education in Ghana and review the 2010/2011 academic year fees downward.

In addition, they said university authorities should make available online, the learning resources that were needed by distant learning postgraduate students by the beginning of the 2010/2011 academic year. The appeal was made in a communiqu=E9 issued at the end of the National Dialogue on Postgraduate Education in Ghana on July 8, 2010. It was under the theme: "The Relevance of Postgraduate Education in National Development".

The communiqu=E9 signed by Mr David Dennis Tettey Noi, Head of Media and Communications, appealed to government to partner and collaborate with GRASAG on issues of national interest and impending policies and programmes for postgraduate education in the country. It noted that universities undertaking postgraduate programmes should establish a research coordinating unit for all postgraduate research.

In addition, there should be a clear cut policy on funding of postgraduate education, and all postgraduate students should benefit from Government of Ghana Bursary and Thesis Grant. The communiqu=E9 called on university authorities to as a matter of urgency deal with the differences in postgraduate qualifications and Masters with Research and Masters without Research harmonised. It called on industry and corporate Ghana to collaborate with GRASAG to find pragmatic solutions to industry and national issues. The communiqu=E9 pledged the commitment of postgraduate students to put their expertise at the disposal of the nation; and called for collaboration with the media and other stakeholders to achieve such an agenda.