Seeking clarity
A society grows great when old people plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in. A Greek proverb.
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The issue for which I seek explanation concerns our universities and their admission requirements. But it is imperative that before I put the question, I have to express my deepest condolence to the family of the late Registrar of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kobby Yebo-Okrah. He passed away on December 17, last year. He was my mate at the University of Ghana, for four years. He perceived me as a younger brother.
We pursued the same undergraduate course. We continued at the School of Communication Studies after National Service to pursue Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Communication Studies.
He joined the Catholic Standard from where he moved to the university environment and served at the Universities of Ghana office in London before he returned to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology until he was called by our maker. I joined Graphic.
Last Thursday, I had opportunity to interact with the staff of the Registrar’s Department of the University of Education, Winneba, on the implications of an operational Freedom of Information Law, on officials managing public tertiary institutions. It became apparent that most of us in public service do not have proper understanding of the right to information guaranteed under the 1992 Constitution. Most of us think that providing the public access to public information is a privilege, not a right. We need to change accordingly. Article 21 (1) (f) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, provides that, “All persons shall have the right to information subject to such qualifications and laws as are necessary in a democratic society.” That is what has prompted the need for a freedom of information law, which our governments have grappled with since January 7, 1993.
But even in the absence of the law, it has become imperative that it is in that regard that our tertiary institutions and the National Accreditation Board must explain to the public the meaning of the admission requirements for entry into tertiary institutions. All of them advertise as their admission requirement a minimum standard of credits in six subjects; three core and three electives. However, the reality is that the basic requirement is credit in seven subjects; three core and four electives. If my interpretation is wrong, let the National Accreditation Board (NAB) and the individual institutions explain what they mean by three core and three electives.
My understanding is that for a science student to qualify for admission into a tertiary institution, the presumption is that in addition to the three mandatory core subjects of Mathematics, English Language and Social Studies that student would have passed Integrated Science. Similarly, for an arts student to qualify, that student would have passed Social Studies in addition to the mandatory core subjects of Mathematics, English Language and Integrated Science. Put another way, the published requirement would mean that a science student qualifies for admission if he has good passes in three elective subjects together with Mathematics, English Language and Social Studies but failed in Integrated Science or that an arts student qualifies for entry into a tertiary institution if the student failed in Social Studies but had good grades in three electives and Mathematics, English Language and Integrated Science.
If it is not possible for a science student who fails in Integrated Science or an arts student who fails in Social Studies to gain admission for further studies, no matter the course to be pursued, then the public must be offered clearer and better particulars about the basic admission requirements and qualification for entry into tertiary institutions in the country.
My interest in the matter was aroused when an academic pointed out to me that her son could not gain admission to the University of Ghana because although per the published requirements he had three core and three elective subjects, because he had a weak grade in the area of specialisation, he could not be considered for admission. I felt it is important for the authorities to clarify issues before a litigant takes up the matter before a competent court of jurisdiction, because good grades in six— three core and three elective subjects cannot be interpreted to be any more or any less than six subjects but which might not be the reality.
So what is the basic requirement for entry into a tertiary institution in the country? Is there a presumption that the candidate would have had a good pass in either science or arts before the three core subjects or that all one needs are good passes in three core subjects irrespective of whether the student offered science or arts? Let the National Accreditation Board which sets the standards offer an explanation.