President of the Evangelical Presbyterian University College (EPUC), Rev. Dr Cyril Fayose has reiterated the call for the amendment of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) law to support infrastructure development in private tertiary institutions.
He appealed to the Government to extend research fund and grants to lecturers at private tertiary institutions and increase students’ loan to enhance quality tertiary education.
Dr Fayose, who made the call at the Eighth Graduation and 10th Matriculation of EPUC in Ho, commended government for giving buses to private tertiary institutions through GETFund but said more needed to be done.
He said all students in Ghana were paying tax and must not be discriminated against because of their choice of academic institution.
Dr Fayose said a second look also ought to be given to affiliation roles accorded academic institutions, adding that situations where mentor-institutions established campuses close to mentee-institutions were unfair.
He said campuses of mentee-institutions must be campuses for the mentor-institutions and called for redefinition of the roles.
Dr Fayose welcomed the 204 fresh students and congratulated the 336 gradaunds for having “fulfilled all righteous tests.”
He said the university had approval from the National Accreditation Board to introduce two new programmes - B.Sc. ICT, and B.Sc. Animal Science and Fisheries and that it was also working on starting MBA programmes with campuses at Accra, Hohoe and Bimbila.
Reverend Dr Setri Nyomi, the EPUC Council Chairman, asked the graduands to be agents of change and worthy ambassadors of the university.
He urged them to be creative entrepreneurs and use the knowledge acquired to make the world comfortable for people around them.
Rev. Prof. Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante, the Immediate Past Chairperson of Akuapem Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, urged the government to invest in Science and Mathematics education in tertiary institutions.
He said the country had only a few professors in Mathematics and Science and called for the institution of a scholarship scheme to attract students.
Rev. Prof. Mante commended EPUC for successes chalked over the years and urged it not to lower the standards and be above reproach.
Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, the Vice Chancellor of University of Cape Coast (UCC), in a statement made on his behalf, said UCC was happy and proud to be mentoring EPUC and pledged UCC’s continued support to EPUC.