Minister of Education meets heads of Universities

Accra(Greater Accra) 9 March '99

M r Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Minister of Education, on Monday said it is about time parents and guardians pay for the tuition of their wards at the tertiary level. This was not to put extra burden on parents but to ensure that universities in the country do not collapse but are well developed to befit their status. At a meeting held with heads of five tertiary institutions to discuss problems facing them and to find possible solutions, Mr Spio-Garbrah said payment of tuition by parents could be achieved through constant education. The institutions are University of Ghana, Legon, University of Cape Coast, Kwame Nkrumah University for Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST), University of Development Studies, Tamale and University College of Education, Winneba. Issues discussed at the meeting included the level of funding of the tertiary institutions, deteriorating physical facilities and lack of equipment, salaries and conditions of service and scholarships for graduate students to pursue their education. He said the government will continue to play her role in the development of its human resources but urged parents and guardians to supplement government's efforts by playing their roles effectively. ''Development of the manpower resources of the nation needs a collaborative effort from all partners in education. "The government has a role to play, parents have a role to play, so have the students themselves." Mr Spio-Garbrah said the government and the ministry are negotiating with some private sector operators and financial institutions to help students at the tertiary level with loans to lessen the burden of parents. He asked heads of the tertiary institutions to send a memorandum on their service activities to the ministry of finance, and copied to his ministry, for action. The Minister said he was happy that the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has accepted the offer by government and Social Security and National Insurance Trust of the 50,000 cedis increase of the students loan for the 1998/99 academic year. The acceptance by the students is a sign of mutual understanding between the ministry and the students' body he said and thanked them. or that. Prof. A. K. Tuah, acting vice chancellor, KNUST, who led the discussion said government's subvention to the universities has now been cut down to 54 per cent. "This is woefully inadequate for the development of the universities since this only covers emoluments". If the budget is not increased, the universities will be forced to reduce the intake of students next academic year. Prof. Tuah called on the government to look into the salaries and conditions of service of lecturers, saying "this is making the retention of lectures at the universities very difficult".