The Vice Chancellor of the University for Development Studies (UDS), Prof. Gabriel Ayum Teye, has challenged private universities in Ghana to expand their infrastructure and other facilities to be able to accommodate the large number of students expected to graduate from second cycle institutions in the next three to four years.
Speaking at the maiden graduation ceremony of Millar Institute for Transdisciplinary and Development Studies (MITDS) in Bolgatanga last Saturday, Prof. Teye, said government’s recently introduced Double-Track System of education meant to absorb the soaring number of students gaining admission into those institutions will overwhelm public universities to accommodate same.
“I am amazed at the quality of Teaching, Research, and Community Service currently going on in MITDS; and I strongly support the call for Government to be visible in their endeavors. I say this because with the Government’s Double Track Policy of the Secondary Education, I can predict that in 3-4 years’ time, there will be a pressure on us the public Universities for Admission. In our current status we will be unable to deal with the entire request. The Government will have to look for more support systems and I see one in the Private Universities. A quick realization and dealing with this looming challenge will be a better pre-emptive measure.” He predicted.
He congratulated the grandaunts for their successful completion but cautioned them to be good ambassadors of themselves and the university anywhere they find themselves.
MITDS is an accredited University Institute in the Upper East Region and the first Ghanaian University to respond to clarion calls for Universities in Ghana to go beyond their traditional on-campus, satellite campus and distance learning to Open University System.
Addressing congregation at the maiden graduation ceremony which took place at the University’s premises at Yinkene, a suburb of Bolgatanga, the council chairman of the university, Prof. Saa Dittoh gave an assurance that the undergraduate programme will soon be reactivated and challenged the grandaunts to make the school proud wherever they find themselves.
“Today, we are graduating 5 PhDs, 4 MPhils, and 11 BSc. These are the gallant pioneers of MITDS. It is our hope that they will continue to make us proud wherever they find themselves.
We as Council members are aware of the low subscription to our BSc programme and the need to be strategic in positioning ourselves. We are sad that MITDS started to gradually roll-down the undergraduate programme from last academic year. That means there are no level 100 or 200 intakes. We sincerely hope that this is an interim measure and that the undergraduate programme will be reactivated soon.”
“As part of our academic pursuits, seven (7) guide books have been published in Culture and Development – our main programme. Also, a running in-house peer reviewed Journal, Journal for Culture and Development (CULTRAD), has been established and postgraduate students must publish their Term Papers in it before they graduate. So far a Third Edition has been published.” He stressed.
Source: A1radioonline.com|Ghana|Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen
