Prof Gatsi Weighs In On Mahama's Free Tertiary First-Year Policy
- Following the National Democratic Congress' John Dramani Mahama's announcement that he would be implementing a free tertiary first-year policy, discussions have been rife
- YEN.com.gh spoke to Economics Professor John Gatsi on his assessment of the policy and its viability within the context of the country's IMF programme
- He stated that the policy was doable, however, the future NDC government would have to prioritise proper spending among other fiscal measures
On August 12, 2024, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, sparked a debate by announcing a policy of making the first year of tertiary education free for all.
The former president had argued that many young Ghanaians, after gaining admission to study at the university, cannot secure said admission due to financial constraints.
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He noted that the situation is exacerbated now that the country is experiencing an unprecedented economic crisis.
However, many have raised concerns about political parties' penchant for promising freebies during an election period without considering the economic impact of such freebies on the country.
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Prof. Gatsi speaks on free university policy
YEN.com.gh spoke to economist Professor John Gatsi to find out how such a policy would work and its possible impact on Ghana’s International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.
Professor Gatsi explained that while the IMF would not frown upon introducing such a policy, the country has to ascertain whether it has the fiscal muscle to undertake such a programme.
He stated that governments, particularly those under IMF programmes, are expected to prioritise spending in productive sectors and areas that are critically needed.
According to him, getting young Ghanaians to school is a sound investment.
“In the university, we have a number of students who are not able to enrol. In fact, if you look at the data from all the universities, some universities admit about 20,000 people and only about 50 to 10,000 are able to enrol.
“If you take it that maybe 2,000 or 3,000 of the 10,000 would have gotten admission in another university. Then, on average, 7,000 are not able to enrol, and that cuts across all the universities.
“And there are some also who genuinely are aware that they cannot do anything about the entrance fee. Therefore, they didn't even apply at all.
“So I think it's a kind of support to transition them from the SHS to the university, settle down and then consider the various financial options for your fees in the second year,” he said.
Prof. Gatsi stated that the IMF often supports policies that promote human development, so the NDC would have no problem implementing the programme if it wins the 2024 election.
However, he noted that spending must be prioritised to ensure the efficient distribution of the funds to support the programme.
He advised that the money be reinvested into universities to support their operations
“So long as that arrangement is done, we are good to go,” he said.
Prof Gatsi addresses infrastructure concerns
Some Ghanaians have also raised concerns about the lack of adequate classrooms and accommodation facilities at universities nationwide to support the expected boom in new university entrants should the programme be implemented.
According to Professor Gatsi, most universities are in the process of providing more facilities for their burgeoning student population, so that should not be a matter of grave concern.
“I believe all the universities, there are infrastructure [development] going on, there are infrastructure [development] going on in all the universities.
“And I also heard they have also added a policy on providing wholesale facilities on each public university campus, so that perhaps it's a way of identifying the accommodation needs of students, and again, the infrastructure [development] of different kinds, lectures, offices, lecture halls are going on in all the universities.
“So just a matter of taking stock of those projects going on in the university, and then you see where you can quickly come in to fill the gap in a short-term manner, to scale up some of those infrastructures,” he said.
“So I believe with that, they should be able to do it. I would have been concerned if the policy covered the entire university, like levels 200, 300 and 400. So long as it’s only level 100 students, it is a doable policy that we can engage in,” he added.
UTAG objects to NDC’s free tertiary policy
YEN.com.gh reported that the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has objected to the NDC's proposal to provide free tertiary education to first-year students.
UTAG argued that funds for such a programme could instead be channelled into providing universities with accommodation and classroom facilities.
The teachers' union also argued that the money could be distributed to school bursaries as grants to be administered directly to needy students.
Proofread by Berlinda Entsie, journalist and copyeditor at YEN.com.gh
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Source: YEN.com.gh
