The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana (UG), Professor Ernest Aryeetey, has said the university will not confer degrees on students from its affiliate institutions if they deemed to have not met the entry requirements.
He said the university has an agreed entry requirements with the affiliates, subject to the guidelines from the National Accreditation Board (NAB) and would therefore not confer degrees on their students if they did not meet those entry requirements.
?As the oldest or premier university in Ghana, we have a responsibility to set the pace for higher education in the country. We owe it to the community to set standards that can be emulated by all for the benefit of the socio-economic development in Ghana,? he said.
He further observed that although the university was obligated to support its over 20 affiliates to achieve their mandate, ?we expect them to work to reciprocate that gesture by maintaining the standards that we set for them.?
Prof. Aryeetey gave this caution statement during the university?s matriculation ceremony for 17,819 newly admitted students for the 2012/2013 academic year.
Out of the total, 15,272 applicants were offered undergraduate programmes and 2,547 applicants, postgraduate programmes.
The matriculants were made up of 6,395 females and 8,877 males for the undergraduate programmes while 965 females and 1,582 males were admitted for postgraduate programmes.
The vice chancellor noted that the university turned down many eligible candidates, admitting only 17,819 students out of the 31,813 applications it received, due to inadequate facilities and resources.
He said while he worked with other vice chancellors to find solutions to the challenge, the situation should attract national attention especially from the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service, the West African Examination Council and the leadership of schools in Ghana.
?When students have excellent grades but cannot gain admission to university, it should be a matter of great concern to society,? he stated.
Prof. Aryeetey urged the freshmen to strive for excellence by developing the right balance between studying and other forms of social engagements.
He said, ?Your primary aim for coming here is to study and I urge you to channel your energies in that direction.?
He also advised the students to make time to read the university notices and pay attention to university rules and regulations.
?This is how you will be guided on how to make the most of your time here; we shall be available to guide you so long as you are willing to be guided,? he said.
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