The Chairman of the Governing Council of the KAAF University College, Professor K.B. Omane-Antwi, has said private universities across the country need government support in the area of infrastructure to be able to absorb students seeking university education.
He explained that private universities were playing an important role by filling the gap in the higher educational landscape by admitting thousands of students who opt for private universities instead of public ones.
“Government, through the GETFund, must support the rapid development of private universities to deliver on their mandate of training the needed human capital for national development,” Prof. Omane-Antwi pointed out.
“Government must turn its attention to private universities to facilitate their growth to be well-positioned to continue to augment public universities in the provision of tertiary education to students,” he added.
Additionally, he called on the government to provide free Wi-fi services to private universities to enhance online teaching and learning.
Occasion
Prof. Omane-Antwi made the call at the swearing-in of a 15-member Governing Council of the university college, which is affiliated to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
The Governing Council has the mandate to ensure the running of industry-driven courses and programmes towards the transformation of the country.
The council has Dr Francis Aboagye-Otchere, Ms Theresa Adusei Peasah, Prof. Herbert Kwabla Dei, Dr Augustine Tawiah and Prof. Stephens Hill Mends Aikins among the membership.
The rest of the members are Mr Eric Kwabena Adjei Boadu Aidoo, Mr Tawia Akyea, Mr Michael Aidoo, Mr Lee Frimpong, Mr Frank Kweku Lartey, Ms Afia Serwaa Essandoh, Mr Samuel Kwasi Boakye, Dr Francis Achampong and Mr Frimpong Okyere.
Own charter
At the swearing-in ceremony, Prof. Omane-Antwi said the topmost vision of the new council was to ensure that the university college attained its own charter as stipulated in the Ghana Tertiary Commission Act 2020, which required every private university to have its own charter within four years after the coming into effect of the new Act.
“The main priority of the new council is to work to ensure that KAAF University College gets its own charter as enshrined in the new act”.
He noted that the council, together with management, would put in place the needed measures towards meeting the standards of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to pave the way for the university to have its charter.
He added that the council would look at improving its physical infrastructure, as well as the information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure of the university to enhance teaching and learning.
He said “improving upon infrastructure and ICT will obviously go a long way towards the delivery of quality, effective and sound teaching and learning”.
He explained further that the council would employ the best lecturers and administrative staff to meet the standards of GTEC as contained in the GTEC Act.
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For his part, Prof. Aikins, who is a representative of KNUST on the council, said KNUST would continue to mentor KAAF University College to enable it to get its charter in the next few years, stressing that “KNUST will take keen interest in the development of the staff so that they can make meaningful contributions to the growth of the university”.