Mahama pledges dialogue to resolve UTAG–GTEC dispute over university autonomy
ACCRA, Nov. 13 – President John Dramani Mahama has pledged to facilitate dialogue between the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) and the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to settle a dispute over how far the regulator may go in the governance of universities, Citi Newsroom and MyJoyOnline report.
The President gave the assurance on Thursday when UTAG’s leadership, led by its national president, Professor Vera Ogeh Fiador, called on him at the Presidency. The meeting covered the regulation of tertiary education, academic freedom and welfare concerns raised by university teachers.
Mr Mahama acknowledged tensions between the lecturers and the Commission, and said oversight must not tip into unnecessary interference in the internal administration of universities. Regulatory supervision was needed to maintain standards, accountability and quality, he said, but it should not undermine institutional autonomy.
“It’s a very fine balance between overreach and regulation. And so we must see where to draw the line so that we maintain the autonomy and academic independence of our tertiary institutions, but at the same time, have the regulator carry out its duties,” he said, according to MyJoyOnline.
“So we are ready to dialogue and engage to see how we can resolve the issues between you and the leadership of GTEC,” he added. No timetable was announced for the facilitated talks.
Lecturers accuse regulator of overreach
Professor Fiador said UTAG’s concern was what it regards as an erosion of university autonomy and an expansion of GTEC’s powers into the day-to-day running of universities, including the authority of governing councils.
“What we have seen over the period is a removal of university autonomy, the powers of councils, and overreach that results in the regulator getting into the affairs of the day-to-day management of the universities,” she said.
She stressed that the association was not opposed to regulation, quality assurance or accreditation, but wanted the Commission to operate within limits that left universities free to pursue their academic mission. “What we seek is a regulatory environment that is enabling and helps us to achieve national development in the best interests of all,” she added.
According to 3News, UTAG argues that GTEC should confine itself to regulation, quality assurance, coordination and accreditation, rather than issuing directives that override university councils. Friction has built through the year. In January, the University of Ghana branch of UTAG demanded the resignation of the Commission’s Director-General and his deputy, or faced the prospect of a lecturers’ strike. In September, the same branch criticised GTEC’s centralised faculty recruitment as a threat to academic freedom.
This month, at an Experts’ Forum at the University of Cape Coast, the association publicly called on the Director-General, Professor Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, to stop interfering in the governance of public universities. Academics at the forum also pressed for amendments to the GTEC Act. At Thursday’s meeting, UTAG renewed its demand for the Director-General’s removal.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, who briefed the delegation, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to academic freedom and said an arbitration panel chaired by his deputy, Dr Clement Apaak, was already working to settle the row involving the Director-General.
The lecturers also raised the retirement age, recruitment and emoluments, the Book and Research Allowance, the proposed National Research Fund, and import duty exemptions on members’ vehicles and research equipment. President Mahama disclosed plans to partner private investors to build student hostels on public campuses, and said a tight compensation budget meant the Finance Minister would have to manage financial clearance for new appointments.
