University departments urged to enter into consultancies

Kumasi, Feb.7, GNA- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Saturday asked cognate departments within the universities, to pool their resources and expertise and enter into consultancies and bid for projects to generate income to supplement government subvention.

He said government would be more comfortable in dealing with a team of consultants under the university's corporate and legal identity, than in dealing with individual specialists who do not have any corporate or structured coverage to take care of any lapses should they default in their contracts.

President Kufuor made the call when addressing the 37th congregation of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi.

A total of 2,432 graduates were honoured with degrees and diplomas with 95 of them obtaining first class. President Kufuor advised the Universities not to only liaise with the ministries but sponsor media programmes and "open day" celebrations at the various departments for the private sector and the general public.

This, he said would expose the vast potentials of the university to the business community and ultimately, yield mutually beneficial outcome.

"It may also not be out of place if the universities strengthen their career counselling units and set private business development centres where students can seek the necessary guidance and make appropriate employment decisions even while still at school", he added. President Kufuor entreated all concerned, universities and the society to work closely and expand the private sector of the economy as quickly as possible.

He said this was crucial because the public sector by its nature had limited potential for income generation to support high employment, while the private sector was geared towards production, high income and employment generation.

President Kufuor said research and private sector linkage which at the moment was almost non existent, must be established and strengthened to promote positive output and growth adding, "the situation where research findings were kept in files in university libraries and were hardly exposed to society to be put to practical use, should be a thing of the past".

President Kufuor observed that in view of the nation's limited resources for research, it might even be worthwhile to encourage more client-request research, which would serve the dual purpose of aiding the client and generating income for the university.

To the students, President Kufuor said society expected beneficiaries of university education to be disciplined and discerning individuals, capable of being objective rather than being emotional analysis of issues.

"Every act of indiscipline, whether it is cheating at examination or inappropriate behaviour towards university authority, rowdiness or vandalism is a betrayal of the society which is investing so much in your education", he emphasised.

President Kufuor said while government would always encourage university authorities to be accommodating and humane in their relationship with the "sometimes difficult" adolescent youth, it would not tolerate acts of indiscipline on the part of students neither would it intercede the disciplinary procedures of the university on students involved.

"At this level every student must realise that he or she is accountable for his or her actions. You are adult citizens and must be socially responsible", he said.

President Kufuor asked the graduates to be partners in development and accept postings to the rural areas, adding "this is how you help build your nation, a job no other people can do for us".

He said the driving forces in the process must be the virtues of humanity, patriotism and humility.

President Kufuor said the absence of these virtues in many of Ghana's highly educated citizens had tended to contribute to the divisiveness and conflicts that bedevilled some parts of the country. "So as you move into your various communities accept as part of your leadership role, to preach peace and bring harmony to all our peoples", he said.

Professor Kwasi Andam, Vice Chancellor of the KNUST, commended the government for providing money from the GETfund for the expansion of the facilities at the University.

He said currently four major infrastructural expansion projects had begun, and they included a central lecture theatre to sit 2000 students, faculty buildings for the college of Art, faculty buildings for science and a lecture theatre for the school of engineering.

Professor Andam announced that, after the first semester examinations approved by the academic board of the university, results indicated that none of the candidates KNUST selected from the so-called less endowed secondary schools was withdrawn.

He pledged that the university would continue to admit more students from the less endowed secondary schools.