Stakeholders in public tertiary education to share utilities
Stakeholders in education have agreed a formula by which utilities on public tertiary campuses should be shared.
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A joint declaration on utilisation and management of utilities in public tertiary education institutions in Ghana dubbed, “UPSA Declaration”, the stakeholders said cost of utilities in public tertiary education institutions should be shared among the government, tertiary education institutions, staff and students.
According to the declaration issued by the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) on behalf of the Ministry of Education and stakeholders, “Government should bear the cost of utilities supplied to academic, (teaching and learning, research and facilities) health and administrative facilities in public tertiary education institutions.
“Students on campus should bear the cost of utilities in students’ residential facilities especially as more than 70 per cent of students currently live in private hostels off campus and pay for their utilities thus creating an unfair arrangement where Government subsidies benefit only the 30 per cent minority.
“Tertiary education institutions should pay the cost of utilities supplied to commercialised units such as guest houses, restaurants, printing presses and commercial agricultural products processing units and etc.
“Staff occupying residential facilities owned by public tertiary education institutions should continue to bear the cost of utilities supplied to those facilities,” the declaration said.
The declaration said, “in view of the above, different metering systems should be applied to segregate different users of utilities in tertiary education institutions.”
Alternative sources
The declaration urged tertiary education institutions to contribute to finding solutions to the endemic water and electricity supply challenges facing the nation by devoting part of their resources to research and development in alternative sources of electricity and water supply.
It suggested that alternative sources of water and electricity such as rain and underground water, biogas and solar energy should be exploited to supplement traditional sources of supply of water and electricity in tertiary education institutions.
Management of utilities
On management of utilities, the declaration said modern technologies in lighting and management of electricity and water should be adopted to improve the efficiency with which utilities are utilized in tertiary education institutions.
“Policies and regulations on the use of utilities should be developed to guide the use of utilities in tertiary education institutions.
“Task forces should be set up in tertiary education institutions to educate students and staff on efficient use of utilities and enforce policies and regulations on the use of utilities.
“Energy Commission’s recommendations on standards on electrical appliances should be adopted and enforced in tertiary education institutions to foster the conservation of electricity,” it said.
Issues discussed
The stakeholders discussed strategies for sustainable consumption of utilities in tertiary education institutions, innovative alternative means of providing utilities in tertiary education institutions; and made recommendations to inform government’s policy regarding the utilisation of utilities in tertiary education institutions.
The declaration was signed by Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Minister of Education, Prof. Otoo Ellis, Chairman , Vice-Chancellors, Ghana, Prof. N.N Nsowah Nuamah, President , Committee of Polytechnic Rectors, Rev. Elizabeth Amoako President , Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education, Mr. Prosper Dzitse, President, National Union of Ghana Students, Sulemana Hakim President , Ghana National Union of Polytechnic Students and Prof. Mahama Duwiejua , Executive Secretary of the NCTE.