Former Deputy National Youth Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Edem Agbana, has described the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, as one of the worst-performing ministers.
According to him, the sector minister performed better while serving as a deputy minister to Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh in President Akufo-Addo’s first term.
“I was one of his fanatics, but I can say that he has been a monumental failure,” he said.
His comments follow the recent decision by some tertiary institutions to increase fees far beyond the threshold agreed by Parliament.
Edem Agbana, who is unhappy about the latest development, said the Minister of Education should be able to get these universities to rescind their decisions.
“We are in crisis when it comes to education funding,” he lamented on TV3.
He said after the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister of Education is the worst-performing minister in the current government in his books.
The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has reiterated its directive to tertiary institutions to review fees for the next academic year by a maximum 15per cent increment.
The directive follows numerous complaints that some universities are charging more than the 15% Rate Approved by Parliament, hence the intervention by GTEC.
“This is to kindly remind all public tertiary institutions to abide strictly by the approval given. Any increases above the approved rate shall be in direct contravention of the fees and charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2022 (Act 1080) and likely to attract sanctions from the Parliament of Ghana,” GTEC said in a statement.
The Commission has also asked the institutions to accept a 50% part payment of fees to enable prospective students to register for their courses at the beginning of the 2023 academic year to continue their education.
“We advise the management of the institutions to consider accepting a 50% part-payment of fees to enable the student to register at the beginning of the year, with a specific payment plan agreed for the balance to be paid, based on individual circumstances,” it added.
The 50% part payment plan, according to GTEC, is to provide flexible terms of payment and reduce fee-default rates amongst tertiary institution students with genuine financial challenges.