The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has expressed fear about how some tertiary establishments have allowed the abrasive political division within the nation to permeate their sacred campuses and turned them into battlegrounds for partisan combats as a substitute of havens for imbibing and dishing out data.
He mentioned the partisanship in these tertiary establishments have to be reversed to optimise the influence of politics on the nation’s socio-economic development.
The Asantehene spoke after the conferment of an honorary physician of legal guidelines diploma on him by the College of Cape Coast (UCC) final Thursday.
The Asantehene is amongst some eminent individuals, and is the third conventional ruler to have acquired such a level.
Earlier recipients included former President John Agyekum Kufuor, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, Paramount Chief of Cape Coast, and Ehunabobrim Prah Agyensaim VI, Paramount Chief of Owirenkyiman Conventional Space.
The well-attended ceremony, which attracted outstanding individuals from academia, authorities, conventional authorities and the clergy, was interspersed with conventional performances and music.
The Asantehene mentioned it was, due to this fact, not shocking that there was hardly any proof of significant collaboration that existed between the state and the colleges, resulting in socio-economic development in different jurisdictions, saying the politics on the campuses was hampering efficient working of the establishments.
“It’s time, for my part, for all of us to get up to the destructive influence this has prompted and efforts made to reverse the state of affairs,” Otumfuo Osei Tutu mentioned.
He confused the necessity to style a brand new relationship between state and academia that engaged the experience of academia within the technique of coverage formulation on a steady foundation.
The Asantehene indicated that whereas training was anticipated to supply the crucial human useful resource in a position to clear up societal issues, there appeared to be a disconnect within the instructional system and our means to unravel societal issues.
“But when the result of training is to supply a military of expert and in a position younger women and men who can not discover jobs to fortunately apply their acquired abilities, and if frequently we’re confronted with questions on competencies within the administration of our sources, how can we reply to anybody who questions the last word worth we place on training,” he questioned.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu known as on academia to reevaluate the training system and assist appropriate any lapses earlier than confidence in training was additional eroded, including that the colleges have been anticipated to be storehouses of data and laboratories for analysis for the options to society’s issues.
Instructional opinions
The Asantehene traced the nation’s instructional techniques and its opinions through the years by totally different governments, stating that training was regarded not solely as a human proper, however a crucial requirement wanted for socio-economic growth by all governments.
He mentioned what was, nevertheless, troubling was that a lot of the instructional opinions had been pushed by austerity or constrained by fiscal malaise and never essentially by the need to realize the said objectives.
Free SHS
The Asantehene mentioned whereas there was little question that the Free Senior Excessive College training coverage was the only most audacious piece of social intervention within the Fourth Republic, it had turn out to be a topic of controversial discourse contemplating that it got here with fiscal challenges.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu, nevertheless, said that whereas there was undoubted advantage within the relatively bold free secondary coverage, its implementation was not completely coordinated with the tertiary establishments, resulting in a surge in demand for undergraduate college students.
He mentioned the coverage elevated variety of potential undergraduate college students, too many for an unprepared tertiary instructional system when it comes to infrastructure.
The Asantehene added that whereas training was expensive, that far outweighed the price of an uneducated inhabitants, and due to this fact, known as for funding within the instructional sector.
He steered that any future evaluate of the tutorial system have to be holistic, trying on the interface between the fundamental, secondary and tertiary ranges, what sources have been out there and the way equitable such sources have been distributed, and the way they may very well be shared throughout the assorted ranges of training for shared enhanced high quality and effectivity.
He counseled the efforts of Ghana’s first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, for his imaginative and prescient in the direction of establishing the college, and UCC for retaining the requirements.
Chancellor
The Chancellor of UCC, Sir Sam Esson Jonah, praised Otumfuo Osei Tutu for his unwavering dedication and profound knowledge in tackling quite a few intricate challenges throughout the nation’s borders and on the worldwide stage.
He lauded him for utilizing his distinctive skills in selling peace, particularly his function in resolving the long-standing Dagbon battle, a feat that exemplified the paramount significance of astute management and diplomacy in fostering peace and concord.
For his half, the Vice-Chancellor of UCC, Professor Johnson Nyarko Boampong, mentioned the establishment had been deeply impressed by the sagacious actions of Otumfuo’s resolute dedication in the direction of fostering unity and spearheading developmental initiatives not solely amongst his folks however throughout different areas as nicely.
Quotation
The quotation in honour of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II mentioned his reign as Asantehene had seen speedy development and growth of Asanteman and its environs in well being, training, agriculture and enterprise.
“The College of Cape Coast salutes you on your meritorious and distinguished service to the nation, notably your dedication to selling unity and growth in Asanteman and different areas, in addition to your important contribution to humanity within the areas of water and sanitation, well being, training, entrepreneurship, tradition and heritage,” it mentioned.