Participants in an Experts’ Forum have expressed divergent views on the decision by government to wean public universities off its payroll.

While some held the view that the move by government was a step in the right direction, others said the measure would have dire consequences on public universities in the country.

Organised by the University of Cape Coast branch of the Universities   Teachers' Association of Ghana (UTAG-UCC), the Expert Forum was on the theme: “Weaning Public Universities from Government of Ghana Payroll: Implications for Tertiary Education Landscape."

The event, attended by students and academia, sought to promote knowledge sharing in the academic community and provide evidence based-independent and non-partisan policy alternatives for consideration by government.

A participant, Dr. Addae Boateng Adu-Gyamfi, from Faculty of Social Sciences-UCC, making a strong case in favour of government's decision, contended that universities could support themselves if they cut down on expenditure.

"Public universities can support themselves with the amount of money generated, if they cut waste within the system. If all these things are looked at, public universities can sustain themselves- pay staff, development could go on and there will be excess money" he stressed.

A section of UTAG Members at the Forum

A section of UTAG Members at the Forum

Another participant, Dr. Kwadwo Addo Tuffour, in his submission, noted that weaning public universities off the payroll of government would be inimical, saying that public universities would find it difficult to execute infrastructural projects.

"Globally, the partners of financing education are parents, business and government. So we cannot wean ourselves from government payroll because education is key to national development" he argued.

A lecturer at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Dr. Saibu Mutaru, opined that the move by government would make students pay realistic fees, arguing that the claims students could access loans from the Students' Loan Trust or seek scholarship from the Scholarship Secretariat were untenable.

Prof. Ransford Gyampo, from the University of Ghana, backed government to wean public universities off its payroll. According to him, students must pay realistic fees so lecturers could be paid well.

The honourable Member of Parliament for Cape Coast North, Dr. Kwamena Minta Nyarku, with the UCC School of Business, noted that the cost burden on public universities would be enormous, calling on government to reconsider its decision. He added that the enrolment of students would dwindle and accessibility to quality tertiary education would be gravely affected.

Vice-Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong

Vice-Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong

In his closing statements, the Vice-Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong, who chaired the event, noted that Ghana's high importation rate was the leading cause of the depreciation of the Cedi against the Dollar.

 He added, "So if we want the government to fund university education, we should be prepared to decrease our demand for salary increment because it is all for public good."

The event attracted dignitaries such as the Pro Vice-Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Rosemond Boohene and the Registrar, Mr. Jeff Teye Emmanuel Onyame.

Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC