Deputy Education Minister-Designate, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has indicated that government has plans to reintroduce to Parliament the Public Universities’ Bill (PUB) which some have described as ‘contentious’.
This came up during his vetting by the Appointments Committee on Monday, June 7, 2021.
“Some key policy intentions of the Public Universities Act were all intended towards addressing some of these matters, and therefore I will support the re-engagement of stakeholders to ensure that the Public Universities Bill comes back to the table to ensure that standards at the tertiary levels are not compromised,” the nominee explained.
Prior to the 2020 election, lawmakers succumbed to public criticism against the bill after it was tabled before Parliament, forcing the government to put it on hold for further consideration.
About the Public Universities Bill
According to the framers of the Public Universities Bill, it seeks to harmonize the finances, administration, and governance structure of public universities.
If passed, the bill will authorize the government to appoint the majority of members of the University Council.
The council will then be able to appoint and fire public university officials, including vice-chancellors, and will control the finances of the university.
The bill also gives the President the power to dissolve the University Council.
Additionally, there is a proposal to rename four public universities after various personalities.