BY BRIGHT NTRAMAH
President Akufo-Addo has presented Presidential Charters to three university colleges in the country, making them fully fledged universities to award their own certificates, diplomas, and degrees.
They are the Catholic University College at Fiapre in the Ahafo Region, the Presbyterian University College at Abetifi in the Eastern Region, and the Methodist University College at Dansoman in the Greater Accra Region.
Addressing officials of the three university colleges at the Jubilee House, President Akufo-Addo noted that the now fully fledged universities will constantly be monitored to ensure that they continue to maintain the high standards that have earned them the Presidential Charters.
The three private university colleges, incidentally all faith-based, have met the criteria of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission to be handed a Presidential Charter. They got to the charter stage after spending over 10 years each being mentored by public universities to prepare them to be able to stand on their own.
This is a stamp of approval that the university colleges have come of age.
The three universities are now a body corporate and must continue the institution’s activities in accordance with the terms and conditions of accreditation, as well as develop and launch new academic programmes subject to review.
President Akufo-Addo urged them to continue to introduce innovative programmes that will shape the knowledge of their students, who will in turn impact positively on the socio-economic development of the country.
“As chartered institutions, I ask them to continue to improve and to introduce more innovative programmes and courses that will equip their students with the requisite skills and competences needed to develop our country and transform progressively the economy,” President Akufo-Addo added.
He, however, reminded them of a clause which recommends that the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, through the Minister of Education, revoke, vary or in any other way, amend the provisions of the Charter where the President considers that the revocation, variation or amendment is in the best interest of tertiary education in the country. President Akufo-Addo assured them that they will be closely monitored.
Having applauded Methodist University College, Presbyterian University College, and Catholic University College for the solid work done in getting this far, it is important that I draw their attention to sector 27 of Act 1023, which states that:
“The President may, on the recommendation of the Commission, through the Minister, revoke, vary or in any other way, amend the provisions of the Charter where the President considers that the revocation, variation or amendment is in the best interest of tertiary education in the country.”
“The universities should therefore bear in mind that they will be closely monitored, especially, in areas of concern outlined by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission,” President Akufo-Addo said.
He noted, “Methodist University Colleges, Presbyterian University and Colleges Catholic University Colleges, have been working towards this end and are the first to receive their charter upon the coming into effect of the new reforms” that took effect upon the passage of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1023).
“They have, as a result, successfully gone through the rigorous accreditation and quality assurance processes under section 5, sub-section 2 of Act 1023 and the associated regulations, which enjoin the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to consider the following matters in the charter appraisal process.”
“A, The governing structure of the institution. B, the quality of teaching, research, the academic staff and work of the applicant institution. C, the sustainability of financial, material and teaching facilities and resources at the disposal of or owed by the applicant institution, and D, other factors that the commission determine to be appropriate,” Akufo-Addo said.
Vice Chancellor of the Catholic University, Professor Obeng Ofori, in his response on behalf of all three universities, registered their appreciation to the President for granting them their respective charters.
He added that the development marks a very important day in the annals of the history of the three faith-based academic institutions.
President Akufo-Addo, at the ceremony, authorised the Minister for Education, Yaw Adu-Twum, to give the buses to the three newly chartered tertiary institutions as requested.