University teachers across the country have issued a two-week ultimatum to government to lift the ban on recruitment of lecturers into the various public universities else they will advise themselves.
The teachers say the current situation in the public universities is having undue pressure on them as a result of the large student population, hence want management of the universities to immediately cut down of fresh admissions.
At a news conference in Accra Thursday, President of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), Dr Henry Agbanu, did not understand why public universities in the country are not given the room to do their recruitment as is the accepted practice globally.
“UTAG is calling on government to immediately lift the ban on recruitment of lecturers and allow the universities the free hands to recruit as and when the need arises in accordance with the statutes or act that establishes the universities,” he said.
He said the recruitment of more lecturers would help bridge the huge teacher-student ratio as well as improve the quality of education in public universities in Ghana.
The latest call by UTAG raises the question as to whether the government has failed to recruit the over 1,000 teachers for public universities in the country as announced in July.
President John Mahama speaking at the maiden graduation ceremony of the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ho in the Volta Region said the financial clearance have been given for the recruitment of a total of 1, 018 teachers to beef up the various faculties of the universities.
Notwithstanding, the university teachers say they will advise themselves and take the necessary action if government fails to lift the ban after the two weeks. They however declined to give details as to what the action will be.
Overstretched internally generated funds
Dr Agbanu admitted that the internally generated funds of universities is being overstretched because they have had to use that to pay lectuerers they recruit to augment their faculties in the light of the ban on government recruitment.
“If a university is to pay 400 lecturers alone for almost four years now from internally generated funds you can understand the toll it is takes on the university including even the book and research allowances that they paid. Government did not pay those people, the university had to look for funds to pay to those individuals,” he noted
Gov’t interference
“We also call on the management of the various universities to consider scaling down drastically, the number of fresh students being considered for admission,” Dr Agbanu said.
UTAG claims the autonomy of public universities are being eroded due to what it says is the gross interference of government in their affairs.
“Management must take immediate steps to halt the gradual erosion of the autonomy of our institutions of higher learning and prevent the wanton and gross interference of government in the administration of our institutions,” he said.
He said although the Vice Chancellors of Ghana are doing their bit, it appears the government is adamant.
By Stephen Kwabena Effah|3news.com|Ghana
Twitter @steviekgh_TV3