UTAG Supports Varsity Bill

The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) says it will not kick against the Public University Bill 2020 should their recommendations be considered.

According to UTAG, they have made necessary recommendations for the Bill to ensure academic freedom in the universities

The National President of UTAG, Prof. Charles Marfo, said his group is confident their recommendations would be considered so as to ensure peace and progress.

He has consequently appealed to the Parliamentary Select Committee of Education to consider UTAG’s 25-page document, which seeks to promote academic freedom.

NAPO Factor

Prof. Charles Marfo said his group had softened their stance of earlier kicking against the Bill basically due to Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Education Minister.

According to him, UTAG recently held fruitful discussions with Dr. Opoku Prempeh aka ‘Napo’, in Kumasi, and that informed UTAG’s decision to soften their stance and rather give an input.

“Napo was very friendly and cooperative during our meeting in Kumasi and we told him that we will submit our recommendations for consideration”, he indicated.

UTAG Recommendations

Prof. Charles Marfo said UTAG wants the composition of the university council to be changed in order to reduce the number of people that government appoints into it.

He also said part of their 25-page document seeks for the introducing of an electoral body to select a Chancellor for the various universities to prevent outside interference.

The UTAG National President said “we are also demanding that universities can deal with international bodies without seeking the approval of the education minister”.

According to him, UTAG has also made several constructive recommendations in their document, which should also be considered to help promote peace.

NAPO’s Stance

Napo, whilst defending the Bill recently, said government does not have any interest in stifling academic freedom in the public universities with the introduction of the Bill.

He said the Bill focuses to bring all public universities together under one policy, properly regulated under a well-defined scope of operations as has been done in other democracies across the world.