ACCRA: The Ghanaian Government has been urged to urgently facilitate the recruitment of academic staff for public universities to cater to the growing number of students. This appeal was made by Professor John Tia Bugri, the Provost of the College of Art and Built Environment at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), during the 57th KNUST Congregation Ceremony in Kumasi.
According to Ghana News Agency, the recruitment is essential considering the increase in Senior High School graduates due to the Free SHS Policy and the need for quality tertiary education for socio-economic transformation. He highlighted that for the 2022/2023 academic year, enrollment at KNUST increased by approximately 19 percent, with a significant number of students in the College’s five affiliate colleges of education. The College alone, with about 11,600 students, has only 168 full-time academic staff, resulting in a student-teacher ratio of 1:68, far exceeding the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission norm of 1:18.
Despite these challenges, Professor Bugri commended the staff and students for ensuring successful teaching and learning. He emphasized the College’s commitment to embracing partnerships to enhance research and human development. The ceremony also saw 1,577 undergraduates, including 928 males and 649 females, being presented with certificates from the College.