Gov’t Committed To Fund Tertiary Education Research Works

…Prez. States; Commends UPSA Governing Council

By Frank Amponsah

The President of the Republic of Ghana, HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has expressed government’s commitment to establishing Research Fund that will be channelled into funding relevant research work and activities of higher educational institutions.

The president indicated that although funding of higher education has been a challenge to government, it remains committed to ensuring that the youth gains access not only to Senior High School education but access to tertiary education as well.

President Akufo-Addo made these remarks when he address a ceremony of confirmation of honour a run degree on Nana J.K Opoku Ampomah, Founder and first Director of University of Professional Studies (UPS) and Mr. Ahmed Ahmed, Vice President of FIFA World governing council and president of CAF.

He indicated that the outstanding work of Nana Opoku Ampomah and other council members of the institute must be commended averring that due to their hard work, UPSA has laid a solid foundation in building a unique academic and professional profile distinct from other academic institutions.

He also reiterated that with the growing demand for professionals in the job market, government is working to increase support to tertiary institutions to impact practical training and internship, build curriculum development to meet the demands of the industry and create an environment for work and effective studies.

The President has commended the Governing Council of the University of Professional Studies for its decision, in accordance with the Statutes of the University, to rename the University after founder and first director of the University, Nana J. K. Opoku-Ampomah.

According to President Akufo-Addo, “It is a most excellent decision, which has received the approval of the President of the Republic, so that, once the parliamentary process has been completed, this University will be called thenceforth the Opoku Ampomah University of Professional Studies.”

President Akufo-Addo made this known on Wednesday, 25th April, 2018, when he delivered the keynote address at events marking the 4th special Congregation ceremony of the University of Professional Studies (UPSA).

The Congregation ceremony, amongst others, also conferred honorary doctorate degrees on Nana J. K. Opoku-Ampomah, founder and first director of the Institute of Professional Studies, and the second, Mr. Ahmad Ahmad, Vice President of FIFA, the world governing body of football, and President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

From relatively small and humble beginnings in 1967, the President stated that UPSA has become one of the most progressive, public institutions of higher learning in Ghana, offering both academic and professional tertiary education qualifications.

He added that after being in existence for 50 years, UPSA has gained the reputation as the oldest, human resource development institution in professional accountancy and management in Ghana, with many of its products in key leadership positions in and out of the country.

“The outstanding work done under the leadership of Nana Opoku-Ampomah, who braved all odds and courageously sowed the biblical mustard seed, deserves special commendation,” he added.

President Akufo-Addo assured that his government remains fully committed to ensuring that all of Ghana’s youth gain access not only to senior high school education, but also to tertiary education, as they represent the best ways of equipping the citizenry with the requisite skills for national development.

“We are aware that adequate funding of higher education has been one of the challenges of successive governments. At the graduate level, this, particularly, has become a topical issue in recent times,” he said.

The President continued, “As part of efforts to deal with the problem of funding higher education, government has committed itself to the establishment of a research fund for the sole purpose of funding relevant and sector-specific research work in our institutions of higher learning. This is in addition to the Book and Research Allowance.”

Government, the President assured, will continue to support tertiary institution-industry collaborative programmes to increase opportunities for practical training and internship.

“We shall promote curriculum development to meet the skills and human resource demands of industry, create opportunities for work and study, and make training in entrepreneurship a cardinal component of the school system,” he added.

Towards establishing the enactment of a law to establish a unified Commission for Tertiary Education to deal with policy formulation, implementation and accreditation, the President revealed that the Ministry of Education will shortly begin implementing recommendations that will reform university accreditation and affiliation policies in order to introduce equity and fairness in the establishment of public and private universities.

He commended the Council and Management of the University of Professional Studies for placing emphasis on courses relevant to the needs of the Ghanaian economy, particularly, in the areas of management sciences, accountancy, marketing, banking and finance, communications, information technology, law and other related social sciences.

“The establishment of the endowment fund to help the needy, but brilliant students is also in the right direction. Government, and the Ministry of Education, under its dynamic Minister, Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, will continue to support you as much as the state of our public finances permit,” he said.