Nana Dr. Kobena G. Erbynn, Vice President Academic Affairs, Islamic University College Ghana (IUCG), has appealed to government to include private universities as beneficiaries of the GETFund scheme.

Nana Dr Erbynn said while private universities were driven by the profit motives and are managed as private businesses, public universities on the other hand are seen to be in existence only for the social good and do not seek to make any profit.

“The dichotomy is important especially in the making of government policy but IUCG, is a non-profit making institution,” a statement issued in Accra by Mr Ibrahim Sumaila Dankwabea Assistant Public Relations Officer, said when a Parliamentary Select Committee on Education paid a familiarization visit to IUCG.

It maintained that funds used to support the public universities are accrued from taxes paid by all Ghanaians, of which the parents of students attending private universities are part.

The statement said since private universities complement government’s effort in providing tertiary education to Ghanaians, they deserve commendation and compensation.

It expressed unhappiness with the debilitating effect of taxes on private universities, saying: “the imposition of corporate tax on private institutions has been crippling us and eating away our meager resources.”

The statement said “funds raised from students’ fees are rechanneled into the development of the school for students’ benefit” and appealed for tax exemption for private universities especially those that are not profit making institutions.

It said public universities are assisted with state interventions such as scholarships, grants, infrastructure, and these the private universities are denied.

Mr Mathias A. Puozaa, the Chairman of the Committee, pledged the Committee’s readiness to look into the issue of tax imposed on private universities.

Professor Dominic K. Fobih, a Ranking Member of the Committee, recommended the university begin running science and technology programmes considering the enormous experience of Iran (founders of IUCG) in these areas.