Private Tertiary Institutions: Satellite Campuses in Basic and SHS Facilities By Public Uni. Worrying

Prof. Dan Obeng Ofori - President of the Conference of Independent Universities (CIU)
According to information gathered by Ghanaeducation.org, private tertiary institutions are being frustrated by public universities, which continue to establish satellite campuses very close to them.
Prof. Dan Obeng Ofori, who is the president of the Conference of Independent Universities (CIU) disclosed that the expansion of public universities to the doorsteps of private tertiary institutions is a threat to their survival.
Private universities in Ghana affiliate with public universities to be mentored whiles running diploma and degree programs offered by the latter.
READ: UG Students Non-Observance of Covid-19 Protocols Worrying – Dr. Siddiq
Sadly, some public universities quickly begin to set up satellite campuses close to the private tertiary institution that affiliate with them. They run courses from such locations using facilities in basic and second cycle schools.
Such unwelcomed competition, prevent affiliates from growing and operating in peace after they have paid huge affiliation fees to these public universities.
The National Accreditation Board (NAB) will not permit private tertiary institutions in the country to do the same thing due to the strict requirements imposed on such institutions.
Although the universities operate in a free market, there is the need for rules to be set to guide and guard to prevent such tactics from being used by public universities.
During a discussion on the issue on Starr FM’S Programme dubbed Morning Star monitored by Ghanaeducation.org on Tuesday 19th January 2021, the names of the University of Education-Winneba and University of Cape coast popped up on the issue.
“They are fond of doing that, every village you go to, they say they have a campus there. You go to the campus and you realize is somebody’s school. Most of their students are teachers, hence it is easy for them to sate up such satellite campus’ A commentator added.
There are 81 accredited private tertiary institutions in Ghana with 50 being members of the Conference of Independent Universities (CIU). Seven of these universities have been accredited to award their own degrees.
Valley View, Central University College, Trinity Theological Seminary, Ashesie University, Regional Maritime University, Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, and Pentecost University College.
The leadership of private tertiary institutions says their survival now hangs in the balance as this practice is preventing private universities from attracting potential students, including Free SHS graduates. They are yet to obtain the numbers they expected while schools have reopened.
The closure of schools due to the coronavirus pandemic has further worsened the plights of such institutions because their finances and budget allocations toward marketing are not available due to their inactivity over the last ten (10) months.
The payment of bills, salaries, and other financial obligations has become stale, which has affected development as well. Faith-based universities may get some support to balance their operational cost in these trying times, but they are also affected by the activities of public universities.
National Council for Tertiary Education, the National Accreditation Board (NAB), and other relevant stakeholders must begin to engage on this matter and bring to finality the “Trial of private tertiary institutions in Ghana” There are many private tertiary institutions in Ghana that have decided not to affiliate with public tertiary institutions due to the fear of the latter coming to establish satellite campus close to them to ward off their potential market.
Public tertiary institutions were alleged to be admitting more fee-paying students who would have ordinarily sought tertiary education at the private universities.
It was alleged that the number of international students (Nigerians and other nationals) admitted to pursue medicine at the University of Ghana, for instance, are so many. Such students should have accessed the same programs in accredited private tertiary institutions, pay a little more than they would have paid in public universities to help private universities survive and operate in the country.
But for the fact that such fee-paying students pay three or more times the fees paid by Ghanaian students, public institutions are also looking at the financial aspects and take their decisions in that regard.
The host of Starr FM’S Morning Star program, Francis Abban, called on the regulators, The National Council for Tertiary Education, and the National Accreditation Board (NAB) to ensure there is room for survival and competition of private tertiary institutions.
Source: Ghanaeducation.org