The Member of Parliament for Suame constituency, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, who doubles as the minister of Parliamentary affairs and the majority leader of Parliament has called on government to amend the GETfund law to support private universities in Ghana.
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu also pointed out the constitutional restriction that prevents the government from funding private universities, particularly in STEM education. He stressed the need for parity, urging the amendment to enable private institutions to access GETFund support, encouraging their participation in fields like Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.
Amend GETFund Law To Support Private Universities – Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu
He made this statement during the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Christian Service University College (CSUC) in Kumasi, a prestigious institution that has significantly grown since its establishment in 1974, currently hosting over two thousand students and recognized as one of the top nursing training centers in Ghana.
“In confronting the imperatives of Article 25 Clause 2, with the necessary amendment and leverage the fair playing field for Private universities in pursuant of Article 38 clauses 3 to play the full role in providing full access to all Ghanaian citizens to universities or equivalent institution will give us the opportunity to kill four birds with one stone”.
He said, “The ultimate in achieving this is by amending the constitution on account of the relevant amendment especially article 25 clause 2, which talks about the GETFund support”.
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“If the playing field must be levelled, if equal opportunity for all students, then those students in the private universities must be given the opportunity to benefit from the GETFund”, he added.
“Equal levels must be given for the private tertiary institutions to encourage them to go into those sectors”, he stressed.
GETFund is a public sector agency with a primary objective to provide finance to supplement to educational activities at all levels of education in Ghana. It was was established by an Act of Parliament in 2000, Act 581, to promote the development of education in the country