The Dean of the University of Ghana Business School, Prof. Justice Bawole, says if efforts are not made to improve the conditions of service of people in academia, the educational sector may soon have a challenge with personnel.
Prof. Bawole revealed that, already, a lot of lecturers were beginning to opt for more lucrative job opportunities outside the classroom and this could, in the long run, affect education in the country.
“Several people are leaving on a daily basis. If you want to know, check how many professors have left the university and joined the government, or gone to Parliament or taken up positions in state-owned enterprises.”
He added that “the story is not good. The most difficult part of it is that the government actually gives us quotas on how many people to recruit per year. So, if I as dean recruit people this year and I get people exiting, I’m not allowed to replace them. So, then it bites me so hard.”
Strikes and threats of industrial action have become a yearly occurrence from the various teacher unions across the country over calls for improved remunerations, among others.
The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) and the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) are currently not at post over similar concerns.