Students in tertiary institutions may soon stop paying utilities bills.
The Minister of Education, Dr Mathew Opoku-Prempeh, who revealed this said the government would increase the amount given out in loans under the student’s loan scheme and facilitate easy recovery of the loans.
This was contained in a speech read on his behalf at the first congregation of the Takoradi Technical University.
The theme for the event was: “Consolidating industrial growth in Ghana: The role of technical education”.
The Education Minister said the government had made provision for GH¢55 million in its 2017 budget to pay the book and research allowance of university lecturers.
He further revealed that the government was in the process of reconstituting the governing councils of all public tertiary institutions to improve the quality of tertiary education.
“We shall restore to our teachers the honour and respect they once held as the source of enlightenment at all levels of society and ensure that teaching becomes, once again, a profession of choice for our ambitious youth,” he said.
The Minister also revealed that the government had introduced a comprehensive programme to sponsor both lecturers and administrators to enable them to acquire higher degrees.
He believes the move will enable the lecturers to impart the needed skills and knowledge to the students.