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The national leadership of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) says it is disappointed by the government’s continued moves to pass the Public Universities Bill.
He says developments with the bill are being made on the association’s blind side, a week before Parliament’s recess.
He says he will be forced to go to the Supreme Court to challenge the decision if the bill is approved.
“If they even go higher, we will proceed to the Supreme Court. We have the option to strike as well, ”UTAG National President Professor Charles Ofosu Marfo told Citi News.
Parliament on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 approved the Public University Bill in the second reading stage.
Professor Marfo said the association was disappointed that the bill reached this stage of approval without “our knowledge.”
“We were waiting for them to consult us. At least, if our recommendations had been taken into account, it would be expected that the state institution involved would let us see the bill ”.
The main stakeholders in education expressed reservations with the bill on public universities that the government is introducing and have described it as an attack on academic freedom.
Professor Marfo reiterated these concerns, saying that the bill “is unconstitutional and contrary to academic freedom.”
In addition, he asked Parliament to be more patient in its assessment of the agreement.
“Let more extensive consultations take place before someone at lightning speed decides to compromise the passage of this bill,” he said.
The Minority in Parliament, during the debate, expressed their conditional support for the other processes for the approval of the bill.
He was also concerned about inquiries from groups that wrote to him during the House recess.
What did the Parliament Education Committee say?
The Education Committee, in presenting its recommendations on the bill to the House, noted that the bill is important to the “governance architecture of public universities.”
Additionally, he said the bill seeks to present an “equal opportunity for all qualified applicants” in the country.
“The bill provides important reforms to improve the governance architecture of public universities. The bill further improves the admissions process and creates equal and equal opportunities for all qualified applicants to access higher education, regardless of financial circumstances. ”
“In particular, standardizing key governance structures across all public universities will inject more efficiency and effectiveness into the administration of public universities.”
— citinewsroom
