Accra, July 22, GNA - the Ministry of Education will in August hold a national dialogue on funding of tertiary education to respond to numerous appeals by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu 11, and other well meaning Ghanaians.

The meeting, which will be held from August 24-25, will provide the platform for stakeholders to develop a clear roadmap on how to address the challenges and difficulties facing tertiary education in terms of funding. Briefing the media in Accra, Mr Mahama Ayariga, the Deputy Minister of Education, said the Ministry was in consultation with the stakeholders whic= h include the principals of training institutions, students' leadership, leaders of universities, parents and civil society prior to the national dialogue.

He said the government appreciated the concerns raised by students and parents on the high increase in fees for this academic year and called for dialogue to address the problem.

Citing the University of Ghana as an example, the Deputy Minister confirmed that the University had increased the academic user fees by 10 pe= r cent. However, it had increased the examination fees by 100 per cent, sporting fee by 30-40 per cent while medical expenses had also increased. Mr Ayariga noted that a meeting he had with the Vice Chancellor of the University concluded that it was necessary that such increments occurred to address the current challenges facing the University.

It was also to mount Computerized Axial Tomography Scan (CT) machines in the examination halls and decentralise examinations for various Facultie= s and Departments". Mr Ayariga said a student who was paying GH¢50 would now pay GH¢10= 0 although it cost more than GH¢120 to prepare an examination for each candidate.

The Deputy Minister noted that the increment was peculiar to only the University of Ghana because of the decongestion exercise being undertaken a= s he was yet to hear any of such increases from the other universities. Mr Ayariga explained that the government had continued to bear the cos= t of funding tertiary education and expressed the hope that the national dialogue would ensure equity in the right to tertiary education. "Somebody from Narilegu should be able to afford the payment of his or her tertiary fees just as someone from East Legon does and that is what government is trying to achieve," he said. The Deputy Minister called on the University authorities to engage students in a dialogue on the issue to ensure that there was a moderate fee that would be affordable to all.

"Students should see dialogue as the tool that will provide them the opportunity to agree on the cost to pay and not resorting to strike actions as the solution", he said.