Gov’t to prioritise PhD for teaching in any tertiary institution – VC

Very soon, without a PhD, you cannot teach in any tertiary institution in the country, the Vice-Chancellor of the Catholic University of Ghana (CUG) located at Fiapre, Sunyani in the Bono Region, Professor Daniels Obeng-Ofori, has disclosed.

In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Vice-Chancellor of the Catholic University said it is, for this reason, private universities in the country are supporting the lecturers with Master’s degrees to enrol in PhD programmes.

“Very soon, without a PhD, you cannot teach in any tertiary institution. We are strongly supporting the lecturers with Master’s degrees to enrol in PhD programmes

Currently, the Catholic University of Ghana (CUG) has about 16 lecturers with Master’s degrees, who have been enrolled in PhD programmes at the various stages of communication,” Professor Daniels Obeng-Ofori told Graphic.

At CUG, he said lecturers with Master’s degrees had only two years to enrol in PhD programmes after their appointment adding that their appointments would be terminated if they failed to upgrade themselves within the two years of their appointment.

The Professor also said amid the high cost of living and the country’s worsening economy, the management of the private universities in the country has resolved to increase the basic salary of lecturers by 20 per cent this year.

He told the state-owned daily newspaper the universities had also planned to enhance the book and research allowances to make it more attractive for lecturers, particularly PhD holders.

The increment in the basic salary as well as book and research allowances for lecturers, the Catholic University of Ghana (CUG) Vice-Chancellor said was aimed at attracting and retaining lecturers at private universities.

Relatedly, Deputy Minister of Education, Reverend John Ntim Fordjour has entreated Ghanaians to prioritise higher education and research to help Ghana enhance its global standing and drive national development.

“We must continually salute and motivate our gallant men and women who have chosen our PhDs over some other passports. Many of whom have gathered here today,” he said at the launch of the University of Ghana’s five-year strategic plan.

The Reverend Minister said Ghana currently has approximately 87 researchers per million population, compared to countries like the Netherlands with over 6,074 researchers per million, Canada with 5,054, and Germany with 5,345.

“In an era where someone thinks that a Dutch passport should be more important than a PhD, it’s rather unfortunate. The number of researchers per million population has a direct impact and correlation with socio-economic development,” Ntim Fordjour noted.