Education Minister clears air on Up-gradement of Winneba College ...

....to full Varsity status

The Minister of Education, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, has denied a statement attributed to Vice-President John Atta Mills in Saturday's issue of the Daily Graphic during a visit last Wednesday to the University College of Education, Winneba.

The Graphic quoted Professor Mills as saying that the Winneba College of Education would become a full-fledged university by next January. However the education minister explained that what Prof. Mills actually said was that it is the desire of the NDC government when its mandate is retained to see to it that the college becomes a full-fledged university, possibly within the next four years.

The Minister of education told the first congregation of the Cape Coast polytechnic that his ministry has identified about 200 sources of funding schemes, besides the Education Trust fund. He said the ministry of education it intends to publish a national directory of scholarships and financial assistance to enable parents to avail themselves of the opportunities to fund their wards' education.

He stressed need for courses run in the country's polytechnics to match the nation's manpower needs and said it is in regard that the government has taken measures to improve facilities and upgrade the knowledge of their academic staff.

Mr Spio-Garbrah urged all tertiary institutions to consider commercialising some of their departments and establishing consultancy services to raise more funds to support their operations.