Accra, Aug 6, GNA – Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister of Education, has charged the governing councils of public universities to help students develop critical thinking abilities to enhance the country’s socio-economic development.
“To get the critical manpower, management of the universities must have critical thinkers to fit into industry needs and also transform the country’s developmental agenda,” he said.
The Minister said this on Friday during the inauguration of seven Governing Councils of Public Universities in Accra and administered the oaths of Office and Secrecy to the council members with the mandate to manage the affairs of the institutions.
He urged the universities to collaborate with companies for students to have hands-on experience on the job to bridge the academia and industry gap.
The Minister charged the universities that focused on technology and engineering to demonstrate excellence and give opportunity to students to be innovative and solve problems for national growth.
“I will not blame management of universities whose fresh students cannot read and write, but will be surprised if the situation persists after graduation,” he said.
Dr Adutwum urged the councils to be globally competitive in the pursuit of higher education and assured them of government’s commitment to involving the universities’ leadership in the development of new high school curriculum to improve teaching and learning.
He charged them to be interested in the general education of students and develop innovative ways to enhance teaching in the universities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic for improved outcomes.
Justice Jones Victor Mawulorm Dotse, the Chairman of University of Health and Allied Sciences Governing Council, pledged the commitment of the Council to abiding by the country’s Constitution and the mandate of the University.
The chairmen of the councils of other universities commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the confidence reposed in them to steer the affairs of the universities and pledged to work hard.
The seven universities are the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences, S.D. Dombo University, University of Mines and Technology, Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, University of Health and Allied Sciences, and University for Development Studies.
The councils are made up of representatives of the various stakeholders including the University Teachers Association of Ghana, Alumni, Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, Government nominees, Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools, Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana, Tertiary Education Workers’ Union, and Students’ Representative Council.
GNA