Withdraw Public Universities Bill - Prof. Jane Opoku-Agyemang

The running mate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flag bearer, Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has called on government to rescind its decision to pass the public universities bill.

According to her, any form of political interference in the management of the country's public universities will be detrimental to strides made in running the country’s tertiary institutions.

She was speaking at Enchi in the Aowin constituency of the Western North region where she rounded up her four- day regional campaign tour.

Government is seeking, through the bill, to take significant control of the administration of universities. Many experts in the field of tertiary education agree that it will undermine academic freedom.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, herself a former vice chancellor of the University of Cape Coast noted that, implementing the proposed policy document by government such as increasing government's representatives on the university councils and removing those of GRASAG will be in bad taste.

"The governance or administration of a university is diametrically different and must be devoid of politics".

It will be recalled that major stakeholders in the education front like the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, The University Teachers Association of Ghana and the Minority Caucus in Ghana's parliament have opposed the decision.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang queried what specific challenge the bill will address and said its contents will be inimical to academic freedom.

She stressed that the focus should be on how to ensure that universities produce graduates with skills needed to meet the challenges the country currently faces and compete effectively with their international counterparts.

The NDC had earlier indicated that, in the event Government abuses its majority in Parliament by passing the Public Universities Bill against all good counsel, the next NDC Government, when mandated by the people, will repeal the Act.