Sunyani (B/A), Aug. 3, GNA - The local chapter of Private University Students Association of Ghana, of the Catholic University College, has called on the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) to rescind its directive to cut off the grades of university admissions. This was contained in a press statement signed by its president Mr Michael Sumaila Nlasia and made available to the Ghana News Agency. The statement said the directive by the NCTE to cut-off grades of university admissions at D and E for SSSCE and C6, D7 and E8 for WASSCE holders will greatly affect private universities since they survive with the efficient management of modest fees and the student population.

It said the new policy directive threatens the survival of private universities which are in existence to satisfy the need for tertiary education.

The statement said the directive also means equally capable but underprivileged students and those from deprived schools could not have access to university education. The association called on the authorities to reverse the decision since the reason underlying the new policy, which was to improve the fallen standards of tertiary education was not tenable. "The only way to improve tertiary education is to address the poor academic performance at the senior high school level, which directly bears on the quality of education at the tertiary level", the statement said. The association said the new directive would greatly affect the country's development considering the great need for human resource to transform the economy.

It appealed to the Ministry of education, the National Accreditation Board and the NCTE to hold on with the directive, consider the opinions of other stakeholders and undertake a thorough research to study the performance of tertiary students over the past years in the various universities.