The Member of Parliament for the Abetifi constituency, Bryan Acheampong, has appealed to stakeholders in the education sector to assist private universities to enable them to gain solid ground to continue training the needed manpower for the country.
He said there was no doubt that private universities play a significant role in the nation’s development and a little assistance by stakeholders would contribute to promoting quality education within the tertiary space.
Speaking at the 20th congregation of the Methodist University Ghana (MUG), he said it was about time management of private universities, especially the chartered ones to come together to engage the government for assistance.
“Mr Vice Chancellor, I entreat you to begin talking to your colleague Vice-Chancellors in other chartered private universities in this regard,” he said.
Mr Acheampong urged students to upgrade and add value to themselves in their chosen profession, adding: “Your education should not only benefit you but society as a whole. Take your new skills and bring them to your communities because you are truly the ambassadors of this school and the makers of our future,” he said.
A representative of the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the University of Ghana, Prof. Kwame Asamoah, called on the management of private universities to streamline the activities of lecturers so as not to overload themselves with extra-teaching assignments but focus on how to be more strategic in leading private tertiary education in a post-Covid-19 era.
He said the University of Ghana would continue to work with MUG for a smooth transition.
Prof. Daniel Agyepong of the University of Cape Coast said the state needs to initiate discussions to provide tax incentives for private universities, adding that eliminating payment of corporate tax by private universities may be a good way to start.
Providing quality education in the post-Covid-19 era, require a curriculum that focuses on sustainable development and the green economy, using the classroom approach.
On his part, Most Rev. Dr Paul Boafo, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist University Ghana Council, paid tribute to the founding fathers of the university for the vision to establish the noble institution which has matured to become an autonomous institution.
He commended the mentoring institutions for guidance since the establishment of the institution.
The University Management, he said, would continue to receive the support it required to carry out the MUGs mandate.
The Acting Vice Chancellor of the MUG, Very Rev. Professor John David Kwamena Ekem, said necessary measures have been put in place to promote Transnational education.
He said MUG signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International University of Applied Sciences based in Berlin, Germany and the International Energy Training Center based in Lagos, Nigeria to run joint programmes in Cyber Security, Robotics, Artificial intelligence, Data Science, Industrial Engineering and International Management.
He bemoaned the fact that student enrolment at MUG has since 2013 been on the decline due to several factors including competition from Public Universities and poor service delivery, adding this has had a toll on the university’s operation and finances.
Francis Cofie, ISD
