Universities must prepare for free SHS beneficiaries —Nana Dwomoh Sarpong
Universities in the country should start expanding their facilities and build the capacities of lecturers and other staff to meet the anticipated challenges in the admission of the first batch of the Free Senior High School (SHS) beneficiaries, the Chairman of the Radford University College in Accra, Nana Dwomoh Sarpong has said.
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He noted that the large number of students who were enrolling in SHS form one this year gave a clear indication that from the next three years onwards, admissions to the universities would be more competitive and the universities would be overstretched unless they immediately start putting their house in order.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Accra last Tuesday, he said it appeared all attention had been on the current admission, without thinking about what would happen from 2020.
Pointing out that even in the current circumstances many of the universities turned away qualified applicants because of lack of facilities, he said the situation would be even more telling when free SHS beneficiaries start applying for admission to the universities.
“Currently, the universities, especially those in the public sector, are hard-pressed to accommodate the students in classrooms or residences, and it is time effective planning is put in place in order not to be overtaken by events,” he said, adding that when you identify a problem, 50 per cent is already solved.”
Good policy
Nana Sarpong described the free SHS policy as “one of the good things to happen to Ghana” and said it was important that its implementation was devoid of partisan politics.
He argued that the policy would help address the school drop-out problem which had bedevilled the country over the years and crushed the potential of many brilliant young people.
“As a country, we have not been socially responsible to the poor people, and I believe this Free SHS Policy is in to address part of this problem,” he said.
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Course content
Nana Sarpong also wants the universities to come out with academic programmes that would make graduates stop relying on the government for jobs.
“Some of the courses must be replaced with courses that wil make graduates employable. We have gone past the stage where university graduates looked up to the government for employment,” he said.
As a private institution that believes in preparing its students adequately for the job market, Radford University College places emphasis on entrepreneurship.
While stressing the need for all universities to teach entrepreneurship so that students could appreciate the need to be on their own after graduation, Nana Sarpong also urged the government to consider setting up a fund to support graduates who set up their businesses.