Former Deputy Minister of Education and Member of Parliament for North Tongu constituency is skeptical about government’s decision to wean public tertiary institutions off the state coffers.
In his view, the policy, if implemented, will inevitably lead to an astronomical increase in school fees.
“Fees are likely to triple or even quadruple if public universities are weaned off government payroll so I’m totally against it,” he said in an interview on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem programme Tuesday.
Government, as part of its medium-term measures to address the challenges confronting the economy, is contemplating weaning off public universities from its payroll.
Though government is yet to release the full details of how it intends to wean off the tertiary institutions, there have been stiff opposition, especially from the Minority in Parliament
Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Education Committee, Dr Clement Apaak, has predicted the decision will “will invariably restrict access to tertiary education.”
In support, Mr Ablakwa said the policy, if allowed to go on, will have adverse effect on university education in Ghana.
He explained that universities would be compelled to charge high fees to fill the gap that would be created from the lack of government support which will lead to “drastic cut in admission numbers”.
The former Deputy Education Minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for North Tongu constituency, questioned the essence of the free Senior High School policy by government if the poor and marginalised cannot access tertiary education.
He maintained that, the policy, if implemented, will go contrary to the provision in the 1992 Constitution of progressively free education.
Even more worrying, the North Tongu MP said, is the limited scholarship opportunity for the underprivileged to access funding to support their education.
“It is a very dangerous proposition which also frowns on the Constitution. The consequences are dire,” Mr Ablakwa added.
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