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UG Vice Chancellor urges government to improve intake
into tertiary education
Accra, March 15, Ghanadot/GNA- Professor Clifford N.B Tagoe,
Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana on Saturday
challenged government to work towards improving the
percentage of young people who progressed from primary
education to the tertiary, if the country would attain a
middle income status.
He said this should emanate from a strong political will to
invest more in the future of the young ones through an
expansion of both private and public institutions.
Prof. Tagoe made the call at a congregation ceremony for
2007/2008 academic year granduates of the University in
Accra.
In all, 5,422 students mainly from the humanities graduated.
They comprised 484 diploma and certificate holder, 4,791
undergraduates and 167 postgraduates.
Sixteen per cent of the diplomats obtained distinction, 11.6
per cent of the undergraduates obtained first class degrees,
35.42 per cent had second class upper and 45,97 per cent
also obtained second class lower.
Prof. Tagoe expressed disappointment at the number of
qualified applicants who did not get admissions to tertiary
institutions, saying the University in 2007 for instance,
received 14, 375 applications for undergraduate programmes
but it admitted only 6,956 of them.
“ I am sure that many of the young people we find by the
roadside selling dog chains, chewing gum and related items
are people who could have been sitting here today, as part
of graduating class “, he added.
The VC said reversing the trend was obtainable and pledged
the University’s support to partner policy makers to achieve
the goal.
On academic affairs, Prof. Tagoe hinted that the University
Council ordered for an audit of its academic and
administrative structure, adding that, there would soon be
major re-adjustments to reflect academic performance.
He said the University had also established the West Africa
Centre for Crop Improvement to offer PhD programmes in plant
breeding for crop scientists in the sub-region and a post
graduate programme in nuclear oriented disciplinary courses.
The 2008/2009 academic year, he stated, will also introduce
courses in Chinese Language and culture.
Prof Tagoe further urged government to make direct
allocations for capital investment in fixed infrastructure
and equipment since the GETFund was only supplementary to
the Consolidated Fund.
He congratulated the grandautes for a successful completion
of the course and urged them to do their best always and
become good ambassadors to their alma mater.
Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister of Education, Science and
Sports said research had become a powerful spur for economic
development adding, “ Research is the source of new
knowledge and inventions without which growth and
development are not possible”.
He said government would provide the requisite assistance
therefore to make postgraduate training and research more
accessible and relevant to national development.
“It is in the recognition of the important role that
research plays in national development that government in
its White Paper on the report of the Education Reform
Committee accepted the recommendation to expand post
graduate training and research in Ghana”, Professor Fobih
added.
He acknowledged that the relationship between universities
and industry was not well structured. “The interface has not
been well structured to facilitate regular interaction
between the two”.
Professor Fobih therefore challenged university authorities
to step up efforts towards a more mutually beneficial
relationship with industry, adding that government was
poised to provide the framework to encourage this
relationship.
He said government was concern about the increasing number
of students seeking admission to the universities and the
difficulties posed by limited infrastructure adding, “This
is why in addition to expansion of physical infrastructure
on all campuses of the public tertiary institutions, every
encouragement is being given for the promotion of distance
education”.
He said government would continue to provide a regulatory
framework that promotes quality tertiary education,
innovation and private sector participation in the provision
of tertiary education.
Professor Fobih encouraged the graduates to continue to
expand their horizon to enable them to become relevant and
marketable in this global age of business.
Dr Tony Oteng-Gyasi, Chairman of the University Council
enumerated some achievements of the institution as the
introduction of the distance-learning programme, visitation
panel among others.
He said the university had outlined various activities for
the celebration of its sixtieth anniversary, which would be
announced in the media to ensure public participation.
Ms. Akua Agyei-Owusu, on behalf on the graduating students
applauded the university for its stringent measures to curb
examination mal-practices.
She said the traits the university had instilled in them
would go a long way to help them achieve their quest for
success and happiness in the “real world”.
GNA
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