Accra, March 15, GNA- Professor Clifford N.B Tagoe, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana on Saturday challenged government to work towards improving the percentage of young people who progressed from primary education to the tertiary, if the country would attain a middle income status. He said this should emanate from a strong political will to invest more in the future of the young ones through an expansion of both private and public institutions.

Prof. Tagoe made the call at a congregation ceremony for 2007/2008 academic year granduates of the University in Accra. In all, 5,422 students mainly from the humanities graduated. They comprised 484 diploma and certificate holder, 4,791 undergraduates and 167 postgraduates. Sixteen per cent of the diplomats obtained distinction, 11.6 per cent of the undergraduates obtained first class degrees, 35.42 per cent had second class upper and 45,97 per cent also obtained second class lower.

Prof. Tagoe expressed disappointment at the number of qualified applicants who did not get admissions to tertiary institutions, saying the University in 2007 for instance, received 14, 375 applications for undergraduate programmes but it admitted only 6,956 of them. " I am sure that many of the young people we find by the roadside selling dog chains, chewing gum and related items are people who could have been sitting here today, as part of graduating class ", he added. The VC said reversing the trend was obtainable and pledged the University's support to partner policy makers to achieve the goal. On academic affairs, Prof. Tagoe hinted that the University Council ordered for an audit of its academic and administrative structure, adding that, there would soon be major re-adjustments to reflect academic performance.

He said the University had also established the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement to offer PhD programmes in plant breeding for crop scientists in the sub-region and a post graduate programme in nuclear oriented disciplinary courses. The 2008/2009 academic year, he stated, will also introduce courses in Chinese Language and culture.

Prof Tagoe further urged government to make direct allocations for capital investment in fixed infrastructure and equipment since the GETFund was only supplementary to the Consolidated Fund. He congratulated the grandautes for a successful completion of the course and urged them to do their best always and become good ambassadors to their alma mater.

Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister of Education, Science and Sports said research had become a powerful spur for economic development adding, " Research is the source of new knowledge and inventions without which growth and development are not possible". He said government would provide the requisite assistance therefore to make postgraduate training and research more accessible and relevant to national development.

"It is in the recognition of the important role that research plays in national development that government in its White Paper on the report of the Education Reform Committee accepted the recommendation to expand post graduate training and research in Ghana", Professor Fobih added. He acknowledged that the relationship between universities and industry was not well structured. "The interface has not been well structured to facilitate regular interaction between the two". Professor Fobih therefore challenged university authorities to step up efforts towards a more mutually beneficial relationship with industry, adding that government was poised to provide the framework to encourage this relationship.

He said government was concern about the increasing number of students seeking admission to the universities and the difficulties posed by limited infrastructure adding, "This is why in addition to expansion of physical infrastructure on all campuses of the public tertiary institutions, every encouragement is being given for the promotion of distance education". He said government would continue to provide a regulatory framework that promotes quality tertiary education, innovation and private sector participation in the provision of tertiary education. Professor Fobih encouraged the graduates to continue to expand their horizon to enable them to become relevant and marketable in this global age of business.

Dr Tony Oteng-Gyasi, Chairman of the University Council enumerated some achievements of the institution as the introduction of the distance-learning programme, visitation panel among others. He said the university had outlined various activities for the celebration of its sixtieth anniversary, which would be announced in the media to ensure public participation. Ms. Akua Agyei-Owusu, on behalf on the graduating students applauded the university for its stringent measures to curb examination mal-practices. She said the traits the university had instilled in them would go a long way to help them achieve their quest for success and happiness in the "real world".