University campuses need radio stations

Accra, Sept. 26, GNA - University and tertiary education experts have identified campus radio stations as powerful tools to galvanise students into action and lead to positive discussions for policy change. The experts made the claim at the just ended conference on tertiary education, in Accra

They stressed the need for the media to increase publicity on issues on tertiary education in developing countries.

The experts said quality tertiary education was an effective agent for social and economic development.

Professor Silas Lwakabamba, Rector, Kigali Institute of Science, Management and Technology, who was part of a four-man team, in a media encounter, said radio has a big potential for the dissemination of innovations for better management of universities.

However, it is yet to be developed to make the necessary impact; and in some institutions, they were non-existent.

Professor Lwakabamba agreed that universities had to internally generate funds and suggested the engagement of students in jobs like gardening and painting as some of the areas to share cost in running universities.

Professor Peter Materu, Senior Education Specialist of the World Bank underlined the importance of internal efficiency of universities and tertiary institutions and that there was need to cut costs in that part of education.

He said many universities were faced with the making of a choice of enrolling few qualified applicants for quality work but that kept more people out of university education because of the lack of academic facilities.

Professor Materu advocated the development of instruments to determine the affordability levels of applicants to university and tertiary education for appropriate mechanisms to be developed to cushion qualified students, who could not afford to pay for university education.

On the conference itself, Mr William Saint, a World Bank Lead Education Specialist, said it was a success and added that it afforded participants the opportunity to interact on issues affecting tertiary education.

He said only few universities in Africa could be described as model universities and called for effective efforts, regular interactions and networking.

The three-day conference, which was attended by about 120 tertiary education experts, was organized jointly by the Association of African Universities; World Bank; Association for the Development of Education in Africa and the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE). It was on the theme: "Improving Tertiary Education In Sub-Saharan Africa - Things That Work".