Academy of Arts and Sciences rejects Public University Bill.

The Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS) has kicked against the government’s proposed Public University Bill.

Explaining its stance on the draft bill, the GAAS contends that, the bill, in its present state, hands too much power to the government.

“The position of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences that the Public University Bill, 2020 is poorly motivated and unjustified. It is unwarranted and likely to lead to Ghana’s public universities becoming less globally competitive.”

“The Academy further takes the position that the Bill is largely intended to provide greater control over the management of public universities from government agencies. This is completely at variance with the spirit and letter of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, and runs counter to the rich history of this nation,” it added.

The Academy further called on the government to unmake its plans to introduce the Bill since it could cause chaos in Ghana’s educational system.

“The Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences is of the view that this bill is dangerous and uncalled for. It is a recipe for total chaos in our tertiary education system.”

According to the framers of the bill, it was introduced with the view to harmonizing the finances, administration, and governance structure of Public Universities.

When passed by Parliament, the bill, which would be law by then, will give the government power to appoint the majority of members of the University Council. The Council will then have the power to appoint and fire public university officials as it deems fit.

It is these provisions, that strengthen the GAAS’ belief that the bill accords too much power to the government and its agencies. The GAAS is of the view that this will legitimize undue interference in the affairs of the public university administration.