Education Minister Meets UTAG Leadership To Discuss Key Issues In Higher Education

The Minister of Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu has met with the leadership of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) at the Ministry of Education in Accra to discuss pressing issues affecting tertiary education in the country.

The meeting, which focused on the role of education in national development, highlighted key concerns, including infrastructure, research funding, and conditions of service for university lecturers.

The Minister underscored the significance of education in addressing national challenges such as poverty and inequality.

He emphasized that higher education institutions play a pivotal role in producing specialized skills beyond general academic training. He reiterated government’s commitment to expanding access, ensuring relevance, and improving the quality of tertiary education in Ghana.

Among the major issues discussed was the urgent need to improve university infrastructure to accommodate the growing student population, especially in light of the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy.

The Minister acknowledged that universities were not adequately prepared to absorb the increasing numbers and stressed the importance of investing in academic and residential facilities to address this challenge.

UTAG President, Professor Mahamoud Akudugu, reaffirmed UTAG’s support for the Minister’s vision and called for improved working conditions for lecturers.

He noted the significant deterioration in salaries, highlighting that the entry-level salary of lecturers had dropped from the Ghana cedi equivalent of $2,084 in 2011 to less than $900 in recent years. He urged the government to establish a roadmap for salary restoration to improve the welfare of university teachers and ensure quality education delivery.

Another key issue was the operationalization of the National Research Fund. UTAG emphasized the need for Ghana to invest in research, arguing that reliance on foreign-funded research projects limits the country’s ability to set its research agenda.

The association also expressed concerns about intellectual property rights, stating that many local researchers merely collect data for foreign institutions without full control over their work. The Minister invited UTAG to share ideas on how to effectively implement the fund and support research efforts in the country.

In addition, UTAG highlighted the challenges of faculty recruitment and workload, pointing out that student-to-lecturer ratios had drastically increased, affecting the quality of education. They called for immediate recruitment of lecturers to ease the burden on existing faculty members and ensure better student outcomes. UTAG also advocated for a more efficient recruitment process that allows for the timely replacement of retiring lecturers rather than waiting for years before new hires are approved.

The discussion also touched on broader national issues, including illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) and its adverse effects on the environment. UTAG reiterated its commitment to engaging in national discourse beyond academic matters and urged the government to take concrete action on the agreements signed with stakeholders to combat illegal mining.

The Minister, in response, welcomed UTAG’s partnership and emphasized the importance of maintaining harmony within the tertiary education sector. He assured the association of the government’s commitment to addressing their concerns and invited them to actively participate in the upcoming National Education Forum to contribute to shaping the future of education in Ghana.

The meeting ended on a positive note, with both parties pledging to work together to ensure that Ghana’s higher education sector remains a strong pillar for national development.

BY: Mabel Delassie Awuku

Public Relations Unit

Ministry of Education