President Akufo-Addo has presented Presidential Charters to three universities colleges in the country, bring the number of private universities to receive same to six under the Akufo-Addo administration.
The three latest university colleges who qualify for the Presidential Charter are the Catholic University College, Methodist University College and Presbyterian University College.
The previous Universities who have received Presidential Charters under the current government are Ashesi University, in 2018, All Nations University in 2020 and Pentecost University also in 2020.
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Addressing officials of the three university colleges at the presentation ceremony held at the banquet hall of the Jubilee House on August 30 2022, President Akufo-Addo noted that the now fully fledged universities will constantly to monitored to ensure that they continue to maintain the high standards that has earned them the Presidential Charters.
“Having applauded Methodist University College, Presbyterian University College and Catholic University College, for the solid work done in getting this far, it is important that I draw their attention to sector 27 of Act 1023 which states that”;
“The President may on the recommendation of the Commission, through the Minister, revoke, vary or in any other way, amend the provisions of the Charter where the President considers that the revocation, variation or amendment is in the best interest of tertiary education in the country”.
“The universities should therefore bear in mind that they will be closely monitored, especially, in areas of concern outlined by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission” President Akufo-Addo said.
“As Chartered institutions, I ask them to continue to improve and to introduce more innovative programmes and courses that will equip their students with the requisite skills and competences needed to develop our country and transform progressively the economy” President Akufo-Addo added.
Rigorous accreditation process
In his statement, President Akufo-Addo noted that “Methodist University Colleges, Presbyterian University and Colleges Catholic University Colleges, have been working towards this end and are the first to receive their charter upon the coming into effect of the new reforms” that took effect upon the passage of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1023).
“They have as a result, successfully gone through the rigorous accreditation and quality assurance processes under section 5, sub-section 2 of Act 1023 and the associated regulations which enjoins the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to consider the following matters in the charter appraisal process”.
“A, The governing structure of the institution. B, the quality of teaching, research, the academic staff and work of the applicant institution. C, the sustainability of financial, material and teaching facilities and resources at the disposal of or owed by the applicant institution, and D, other factors that the commission determines to be appropriate” Akufo-Addo said.
Birthday present
Prof Obeng Ofori, Vice Chancellor of the Catholic University in his response on behalf of all three universities, registered their appreciation to the President for granting them their respective charters.
He added that the development “marks a very important day in the annals of the history” of the three faith-based academic institutions.
In his remarks, Prof Obeng Ofori, requested of the President to give the three universities, buses, to serve as their birthday presents as well as help solve urgent transportation challenges in the three universities.
President Akufo-Addo, at the ceremony, authorized the Minister for Education, Yaw Adu-Twum, who was present at the ceremony, to give the buses to the three newly chartered tertiary institutions as requested.