Government has allocated GHC50 million to kickstart the implementation of the National Research Fund this year.
The amount which is a seed allocation is expected to assist academia to conduct research aimed at fostering the development of the country.
Meanwhile, the amount is expected to be increased to one hundred million cedis next year.
More than two decades ago, lecturers in public institutions of higher learning withdrew their services blaming government for delaying in the payment of their book and research allowances.
This created a lot of agitations on the education front which disrupted smooth academic work.
Government then intended to roll out a national research fund which was fiercely resisted by the University Teachers’ Association of Ghana (UTAG), only for them to agree to it later.
For eight years, Parliament went through the bill to set up the National Research Fund which will address issues of national development.
Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, underscored the relevance of the Fund.
“This year, the Ghana Education Trust Fund and the Ministry of Education and for that matter the government of Ghana, has made an allocation of 50 million cedis for the take-off of the National Research Fund”
“I can assure there is a lot of bilateral and multi-lateral interest in the work of the National Research Fund and if you do well you will get additional complementary support,” he noted.
Chairman of the National Research Fund, Professor Eric Yirenkyi appealed to government to further increase it.
Earlier, the Minister inaugurated the TVET committee for 2025.
He emphasized on some funding from the Italian government to spearhead TVET in the country.
Later, Haruna Iddrisu constituted the Governing Council of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT)
He charged the council to ensure that issues bordering on galamsey are addressed.
” As you are aware, currently the country is battling galamsey- illegal small-scale mining. I know that UTAG has taken a principled position which position is to provide national leadership in our quest to nib that in the bud to save our water bodies and others. I am also aware that efforts are underway in piloting pre-engineering degree for non traditional science students into your school and I have asked GTEC to assist you,” he said.
