Private universities in Ghana have a crucial role to play in realising the ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ vision of President Nana Akufo-Addo and his government, the Chancellor of Perez University College, Bishop Charles Agyinasare has said.

Speaking on Saturday, 7 April 2019 at the university’s Congregation in Pomadze, Central Region, the founder of Perez Chapel said: “The role of private tertiary education in the socio-economic development is crucial to the realisation of the ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ agenda”, adding that: “The government’s transformational agenda of ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ requires that the country develop a dynamic human capital to drive its socio-economic activities”.

In Bishop Agyinasare’s view, “Without a strong human capital, all other factors of production that enhance economic development might remain ineffective”.

Ghana, he said, “needs an educated and qualified workforce”.

“This is because all government policies and socio-economic interventions might be of no significant effect if Ghana does not have an educated workforce—a workforce that is highly qualified and capable of providing the needed solutions to the problems of a tech-hungry and entrepreneurial-driven Ghana”.

Due to the government’s Free Senor High School policy introduced by President Akufo-Addo as a way of tackling the country’s human resource development challenges, Bishop Agyinasare said: “In the near future, our senior high schools will churn out thousands, who might be competing for places in our universities”.

“Private tertiary institutions must, therefore, position themselves to leverage the opportunity provided by the implementation of the Free SHS programme.

“Perez University College is strategically positioning itself to partner with the government to pursue the ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ agenda. Our vision is to become a top entrepreneurial university in Africa. Our role is to train and transform our students into great leaders and successful entrepreneurs who will create jobs and contribute to the socio-economic development of Ghana and Africa”, the Chancellor said.

Quoting D. L. Moody, the great American evangelist, who once said: ‘If a man is stealing nuts and bolts from a railway track, and, in order to change him, you send him to college, at the end of his education, he will steal the whole railway track!’, Bishop Agyinasare said: “Simply put, education won't change the heart. Therefore, I believe that if we must pursue the ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ agenda and succeed, an entrepreneurial education approach underpinned by biblical Christian values is the way to go”.

Read Bishop Agyinasare’s full speech below:

Ghana Beyond Aid: The Role of Private Tertiary Education

The role of private tertiary education in the socio-economic development is crucial to the realisation of the “Ghana Beyond Aid” agenda. The government’s transformational agenda of “Ghana Beyond Aid” requires that the country develop a dynamic human capital to drive its socio-economic activities. Without a strong human capital, all other factors of production that enhance economic development might remain ineffective. Ghana needs an educated and qualified workforce. This is because all government policies and socio-economic interventions might be of no significant effect if Ghana does not have an educated workforce—a workforce that is highly qualified and capable of providing the needed solutions to the problems of a tech-hungry and entrepreneurial-driven Ghana.

Various scholars have suggested that economic development occurs as a result of increasing productivity and structural change, which demands investment, job creation, and technological advancement. Education is a vital instrument for increasing productivity, structural change and economic freedom. The public tertiary institutions alone cannot develop the human capital needed for economic development and transformation of Ghana.

President Akufo-Addo’s administration is responding to the human resource development needs of Ghana with the implementation of the Free Senior High School programme. I strongly believe that the Free SHS programme is a laudable policy and all Ghanaians must work hard to sustain it.

We, as a country, must look beyond politics and resolve to ensure that any policy meant to better the lot of the future generation, irrespective of which government initiated it, is entrenched and supported to work to the benefit of those who need it most. And from all indications, the Free SHS policy is one of such. Let us, as a united country, help smoothen any rough edges, if there are any, and make it the envy of the entire continent and the world at large.

In the near future, our Senior High Schools will churn out thousands who might be competing for places in our universities. Private tertiary institutions must therefore position themselves to leverage the opportunity provided by the implementation of the Free SHS programme.

Perez University College is strategically positioning itself to partner with the government to pursue the “Ghana Beyond Aid” agenda. Our vision is to become a top entrepreneurial university in Africa. Our role is to train and transform our students into great leaders and successful entrepreneurs who will create jobs and contribute to the socio-economic development of Ghana and Africa. D. L. Moody, the great American evangelist, once said, "If a man is stealing nuts and bolts from a railway track, and, in order to change him, you send him to college, at the end of his education, he will steal the whole railway track!" Or simply put, education won't change the heart. Therefore, I believe that if we must pursue the “Ghana Beyond Aid” agenda and succeed, an entrepreneurial education approach underpinned by biblical Christian values is the way to go.

Permit me to quote Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara, the late Burkinabé military captain and pan-Africanist, who served as President of Burkina Faso from 1983 until his assassination in 1987. “He who feeds you, controls you.” We need a diversified human workforce for wealth creation, economic prosperity and freedom. A context-driven and an industry-tailored private education will help facilitate the “Ghana Beyond Aid” agenda. Many African countries (though independent) are still subject to the control of their colonial powers simply because they have not been able to gain economic independence beyond political independence.

It is my prayer and hope that all of us will embrace the “Ghana Beyond Aid” agenda and develop Ghana according to the will of God.

On this note, by the power vested in me as the Chancellor of Perez University College, I declare this congregation open.