The National Executive Committee of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), has warned that the government will incur its wrath should it go contrary to an agreement reached at a meeting with the Vice President on the Public University Bill.
Parliament has suspended the Public University Bill at the consideration stage after a meeting between UTAG’s National Executive Committee and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on Wednesday, December 17, 2020.
The meeting discussed the exclusion of the teachers’ inputs seeking a review of portions of the Bill.
The National Secretary of UTAG, Dr. Eric K.K Abavari, told Citi News they will not allow a Bill that will curtail academic freedom to be passed.
“If per-adventure anything different from what we agreed happens, UTAG will have no option than to advise itself. The bill seeks to kill us and so we will defend ourselves in a manner that defends us.”
Parliament has suspended the Public University Bill at the consideration stage to allow for further stakeholder engagements.
According to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education, the Bill will not have been passed without the input of various stakeholders.
Addressing the Press, the Chairperson of the Education Committee in Parliament, William Quaittoo Agyapong, said: “The consideration at the plenary is suspended. That is on hold until we receive their [UTAG’s] inputs on the new Bill.”
The suspension comes after Parliament on Tuesday, December 15, 2020, approved the Public University Bill at the second reading stage.
This sparked concerns from all stakeholders in the educational sector leading to a meeting between UTAG and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
