My personal observation is that the Book/Research allowance us not serving it's intended purpose. The money is more of a non taxable allowance than a book or research allowance. The reason is that most of the lecturers don't ... read full comment
My personal observation is that the Book/Research allowance us not serving it's intended purpose. The money is more of a non taxable allowance than a book or research allowance. The reason is that most of the lecturers don't even do any research as the Universities have a journal that publishes any research done by a lecturer. they don't even buy the books. The best way way is for the government to set up a centre that investigates the kind of research being done before money is release to the beneficiaries. The old system when some lecturers take the money and buy beer is over. That is not value for money.
Kweku 9 years ago
Ignorant writer
Ignorant writer
Kofi 9 years ago
true
true
Kofi 9 years ago
I wish the writer has done some research than just blow off hot air. Do you know of the term 'Publish or Perish'? Do you think the current Minister of Education rose through the ranks of Assistant Lecturer to Full Professor b ... read full comment
I wish the writer has done some research than just blow off hot air. Do you know of the term 'Publish or Perish'? Do you think the current Minister of Education rose through the ranks of Assistant Lecturer to Full Professor by not writing peer-reviewed papers? As the saying goes 'empty barrels make the most noise'.
IDRIS PACAS 9 years ago
That's very true.
However, there's no standard means of determining whether the research is beneficial or successful. Notice that all the lecturers are politically aligned. Just look at the SADA issue. At the time common s ... read full comment
That's very true.
However, there's no standard means of determining whether the research is beneficial or successful. Notice that all the lecturers are politically aligned. Just look at the SADA issue. At the time common sense shows that all the seedlings were burnt by fires, a report by professors from UDS says 85 % of them survived. How?
All the former MPs and govt ministers who were lecturers before knew that the allowances are just taken for no work done. It is because of this that the administrators and other clerical workers at the universities too are demanding allowances. For example, they see the lecturers pocket huge sums of money for no work done.
Just look at what is UG is doing.-fixing tollbooth at all cost.
Brainy Guy 9 years ago
Explain why you call this writer ignorant. If you have any enlightened ideas, put up a rebuttal to this article and let's read it, you moron of the first class order!
Explain why you call this writer ignorant. If you have any enlightened ideas, put up a rebuttal to this article and let's read it, you moron of the first class order!
London Whale 9 years ago
They should produced the research published in leading journals so that they can be given the allowance.
They should produced the research published in leading journals so that they can be given the allowance.
Mr. Tzie Angelo 9 years ago
Totally ignorant and misleading. Be honest and do a true assessment with data from the universities themselves and stop blowing English hot air! FIND OUT HOW THE CURRENT MINISTER OF EDUCATION GOT TO HER PROFESSORSHIP!
Totally ignorant and misleading. Be honest and do a true assessment with data from the universities themselves and stop blowing English hot air! FIND OUT HOW THE CURRENT MINISTER OF EDUCATION GOT TO HER PROFESSORSHIP!
Mr. T 9 years ago
If you were writing a very objective paper, you wouldn't draw certain conclusions based on your beliefs and past experiences. You must be high on something like a kite to write this!
If you were writing a very objective paper, you wouldn't draw certain conclusions based on your beliefs and past experiences. You must be high on something like a kite to write this!
Destiny 9 years ago
Why don't u guys tell us what u know abt the research allowance rather than trying to insult the writer.Don't forget the minister was once a lecturer .She is aware of anything that goes on there.Fools tell us what u know and ... read full comment
Why don't u guys tell us what u know abt the research allowance rather than trying to insult the writer.Don't forget the minister was once a lecturer .She is aware of anything that goes on there.Fools tell us what u know and stop the insult.
C.Y. ANDY-K 9 years ago
Exactly my view. These fools only come to insult, since they have no serious opinion or knowledge to express.
The writer was right on the spot. I have been opposing on cyberspace these insane academically and intellectual ... read full comment
Exactly my view. These fools only come to insult, since they have no serious opinion or knowledge to express.
The writer was right on the spot. I have been opposing on cyberspace these insane academically and intellectually bankrupt allowances since the '90s. I recently had an article posted on the subject.
More pressure from the rather small portion of civil society to bring these lecturers into their senses, if they still have any at all. Some of them even went to Ivy league institutions in the West but nothing rubbed off onto them. The Cultural Theory of Development becomes much more poignant in situations like this. All we see in their quest for spoils in the rent seeking society that the so-called elite have foisted on Ghana since the overthrow of the CPP is the crude peasant, fishermen, small time animal husbandry, etc. origins. Tweah to all of them, irrespective of how many PhDs they have!
Andy-K
Kofi 9 years ago
UTAG has come out with the rationale for the BRA. There is no need to go over it. Good or bad, the current Min of Ed used these resources to publish not less than 20 peer-reviewed papers to be promoted from Assistant lecturer ... read full comment
UTAG has come out with the rationale for the BRA. There is no need to go over it. Good or bad, the current Min of Ed used these resources to publish not less than 20 peer-reviewed papers to be promoted from Assistant lecturer to Full Professor. At every congregation of the universities over the years, the VC report contains research conducted by senior members. Read those reports then determine whether lecturers do research or not.
kofizee@hotmail.com 9 years ago
Ask your minister what she used her allowance to do and find out why she didn't ask for it to be scraped at the time that she used to be the vc. or is it a case of demolishing the bridge after one has crossed it? Ask her to ... read full comment
Ask your minister what she used her allowance to do and find out why she didn't ask for it to be scraped at the time that she used to be the vc. or is it a case of demolishing the bridge after one has crossed it? Ask her to tell the world what allowances she gets as a minister. Soon lecturers will also start charging students for extra lessons.
kofizee@hotmail.com 9 years ago
typical crap from an ignoramus.
typical crap from an ignoramus.
Sam 9 years ago
Andy
Great minds think alike. Let's leave those who think the best way to solve our problems is to attack writers. God help Ghana
Andy
Great minds think alike. Let's leave those who think the best way to solve our problems is to attack writers. God help Ghana
Mallam Kankane 9 years ago
I share your views but you forgot to mention e-books and e-journals which my department rely on. That is one of the surest means for the lecturers to get easy access to the latest books and journals. They are subsidized but a ... read full comment
I share your views but you forgot to mention e-books and e-journals which my department rely on. That is one of the surest means for the lecturers to get easy access to the latest books and journals. They are subsidized but as you suggested the department will have to decide which of the leading books/journals they would need. That way the money involved would not end up in the individual lecturers pockets.There is always the need to be pro-active in the things we do as a third world country.I expected those who are chastising the writer to come out with alternatives as Andy has done here. Name calling is certainly not one of them.
Kofi 9 years ago
University libraries regularly send out requests to depts and faculties/schools on what titles of books/journals to stock. Universities have an inter-loan system at work too. E-books/journals are not subsidized. Because there ... read full comment
University libraries regularly send out requests to depts and faculties/schools on what titles of books/journals to stock. Universities have an inter-loan system at work too. E-books/journals are not subsidized. Because there is no use of paper, E-books/journals cost less. lower.
In addition to the books/journals available in the universities, a lecturer may subscribe to particular journals. If a library does not subscribe to a particular journal, access to a paper must paid for. Publishing a paper involves paying as well.
Pls get your facts right. Do not be emotional and get things wrong
ANDY-K 9 years ago
Mallam,
Thanks for breaking down what I captured in "data-bases". So, you see, I didn't forget the electronic sources. Before I left academia in the mid-90s, such sources had already become a major source of data/informati ... read full comment
Mallam,
Thanks for breaking down what I captured in "data-bases". So, you see, I didn't forget the electronic sources. Before I left academia in the mid-90s, such sources had already become a major source of data/information in univs. The univs subscribe to them and give special codes to students and lecturers to access them. One gets access to the latest articles, books, etc. when writing a thesis or dissertation, for instances
One thing I didn't dwell on and I have been considering writing an article to cover are the urgent need to revamp both the National Archives and the Statistical Services to bring them to the standard which one even finds in the Philippines. Our counterparts provide bare bone information on Ghana, far below what was happening during the colonial era, and the few years after indep.
In the Philippines, one can walk to the Stats Services equiv. and walk away with detailed and up to date data on any district, from the number of pigs, fowls, coconut trees, etc., to econ. data, in each district!
If those 2 depts are revamped and Freedom of Information Bill passed into law, they can form the bastion of internal information generation, storing and dissemination which can make them self-financing and revenue generation bodies within a short span of time! You are studying or lecturing abroad and you want some information from Ghana, you just have to contact them online and, for a fee, you'd have that information sent to you pronto!
BTW, I've read some saying that the present Minister wrote articles with her loot and so the allawas are good things and must be maintained. That's flawed reasoning. Can they argue successfully that, without the allawas, she couldn't have written those articles? Besides, cos one or two lecturers indeed wrote articles thanks to the allawas, it does not necessarily follow that the allawas must be given to all lecturers, including those who haven't even pen a letter to any newspaper since the commencement of the newfangled method of promoting research was launched.
Andy-K
Kofi 9 years ago
Publish or perish exist in public univ. Every lecturer is on contract. If one does not publish, his/her contract is not renewed.
Publish or perish exist in public univ. Every lecturer is on contract. If one does not publish, his/her contract is not renewed.
BB 9 years ago
Shameful teachers and lecturers. They go on strike o take this monies then they go and make photocopies of notes and sell it to students. Students who do not buy their photocopies are deliberately failed in such subjects. So ... read full comment
Shameful teachers and lecturers. They go on strike o take this monies then they go and make photocopies of notes and sell it to students. Students who do not buy their photocopies are deliberately failed in such subjects. So why should the state pay such stupid allowances?
My personal observation is that the Book/Research allowance us not serving it's intended purpose. The money is more of a non taxable allowance than a book or research allowance. The reason is that most of the lecturers don't ...
read full comment
Ignorant writer
true
I wish the writer has done some research than just blow off hot air. Do you know of the term 'Publish or Perish'? Do you think the current Minister of Education rose through the ranks of Assistant Lecturer to Full Professor b ...
read full comment
That's very true.
However, there's no standard means of determining whether the research is beneficial or successful. Notice that all the lecturers are politically aligned. Just look at the SADA issue. At the time common s ...
read full comment
Explain why you call this writer ignorant. If you have any enlightened ideas, put up a rebuttal to this article and let's read it, you moron of the first class order!
They should produced the research published in leading journals so that they can be given the allowance.
Totally ignorant and misleading. Be honest and do a true assessment with data from the universities themselves and stop blowing English hot air! FIND OUT HOW THE CURRENT MINISTER OF EDUCATION GOT TO HER PROFESSORSHIP!
If you were writing a very objective paper, you wouldn't draw certain conclusions based on your beliefs and past experiences. You must be high on something like a kite to write this!
Why don't u guys tell us what u know abt the research allowance rather than trying to insult the writer.Don't forget the minister was once a lecturer .She is aware of anything that goes on there.Fools tell us what u know and ...
read full comment
Exactly my view. These fools only come to insult, since they have no serious opinion or knowledge to express.
The writer was right on the spot. I have been opposing on cyberspace these insane academically and intellectual ...
read full comment
UTAG has come out with the rationale for the BRA. There is no need to go over it. Good or bad, the current Min of Ed used these resources to publish not less than 20 peer-reviewed papers to be promoted from Assistant lecturer ...
read full comment
Ask your minister what she used her allowance to do and find out why she didn't ask for it to be scraped at the time that she used to be the vc. or is it a case of demolishing the bridge after one has crossed it? Ask her to ...
read full comment
typical crap from an ignoramus.
Andy
Great minds think alike. Let's leave those who think the best way to solve our problems is to attack writers. God help Ghana
I share your views but you forgot to mention e-books and e-journals which my department rely on. That is one of the surest means for the lecturers to get easy access to the latest books and journals. They are subsidized but a ...
read full comment
University libraries regularly send out requests to depts and faculties/schools on what titles of books/journals to stock. Universities have an inter-loan system at work too. E-books/journals are not subsidized. Because there ...
read full comment
Mallam,
Thanks for breaking down what I captured in "data-bases". So, you see, I didn't forget the electronic sources. Before I left academia in the mid-90s, such sources had already become a major source of data/informati ...
read full comment
Publish or perish exist in public univ. Every lecturer is on contract. If one does not publish, his/her contract is not renewed.
Shameful teachers and lecturers. They go on strike o take this monies then they go and make photocopies of notes and sell it to students. Students who do not buy their photocopies are deliberately failed in such subjects. So ...
read full comment