Kufuor presents buses private universities

Accra, Nov 16, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Wednesday handed over keys to 11 high occupancy Volks buses to nine private universities and two public third cycle institutions.

The beneficiaries are the Central University, Islamic University College of Ghana, Catholic University, Ashesi University, Valley View University and the All Nations University.

The rest were Winsconsin University, Garden City University, Methodist University, Ghana Institute of Journalism and the National Film and Television Institute.

The buses, each with seating capacity for 63 and valued at a total cost of 693,000 dollars, were bought from the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund).

President Kufuor said the government appreciated the historical and essential role the private sector was playing in the country's education.

The education sector, he said, provided good example for public-private partnership towards human resource development, a key priority of his administration.

He said it was for this reason that students of the private tertiary institutions would continue to have access to the Students Loan Scheme.

President Kufuor paid tribute to the churches for their contribution to education delivery at the basic and secondary levels and said "It should not be lost on anybody that they have set the pace in the move of the private sector into the provision of tertiary education".

He advised the institutions to take good care of the buses through good maintenance culture, adding that, "both students and managers should take pride and ensure that the buses last".

Mr Yaw Osafo-Marfo, the Minister of Education and Sports, said the presentation was in fulfilment of a promise made by President Kufuor some time ago.

He said this was not only a demonstration of the government's commitment towards the promotion of higher education but recognition of the immense contribution of the private sector. Daasebre Oti Boateng, Omanhene of New Juaben Traditional Area and a Representative of the All Nation University, on behalf of the beneficiary institutions thanked the Government for "the mainstreaming of private universities into the academic field".