Academic work at University of Ghana in danger

Most of the teaching staff of Ghana’s premier university, the University of Ghana, Legon, will be retiring by 30 September this year, but no replacements have been found by the authorities.

The situation will adversely affect academic activities if the search for their replacement proves futile. The university has a teaching staff of about 800 and most of them are around the retiring age.

Prof Edward Ofori-Sarpong, the Pro-Vice Chancellor, disclosed these at the 58th Speech and Prize-Giving Day of the Ebenezer Secondary School at Dansoman in Accra at the weekend.

He explained that the search for new lecturers had become difficult because the conditions of service for university lecturers in the country were very poor and discouraging.

The situation, he noted, was repelling young qualified lecturers from taking up teaching appointments at the university. To help save the situation, he said the authorities had held consultations with the President towards arriving at a solution.

Should no replacements be found after 30 September, he pointed out that the retirees would be re-engaged by the university as a temporary measure.

Prof Ofori-Sarpong called for appropriate interventions to improve the deplorable conditions under which university lecturers worked and cautioned that unless that was done, the future of the university would be bleak.

“The University of Ghana is pursuing this policy on gender issues. Currently, the enrolment at the university has increased from a total of 6,000 to 15,000, with the female component rising from 24 per cent to 36 in 2002,” he stated.

In his report, the Headmaster of the school, Samuel Ofori-Adjei, said the school, which was established in 1941 with six students, now has a student population of 1,175, made up of 667 boys and 508 girls.

Ofori-Adjei said that out of 330 candidates who sat for the 2002 SSSCE, 66 passed in eight subjects, 37 in seven subjects, 34 in six subjects, adding that “ 10 students went home empty handed”.

He appealed to the authorities, institutions and organisations to help complete the school’s Visual Arts Department, which is at the foundation level, provide logistics, expand the computer laboratory and library blocks as well as provide bungalows for the staff.

On his part, David Mettle of the Ghana Telecommunications Company, who chaired the function, advised students to be ready to sacrifice in order to achieve their aim in life in order to contribute to the development of the country.

Prizes were presented to some deserving students. Ken E. Nsor, a Mathematics tutor, was given the best teacher award for the meritorious service he has rendered to the school.