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Valley View University has called for a more expansive tuition support policy that covers students at both public and private tertiary institutions.
The newly inducted Vice-Chancellor, Professor Daniel Ganu, who made the call, said it would ensure that the state’s financial support systems for tertiary education did not exclude students in private universities.
He explained that such a policy would promote fairness and equal access to higher education, especially as private institutions continue to train a significant portion of the country’s human capital.
He said Ghana’s tertiary system included about 278 accredited public and private institutions, indicating that private universities were firmly established within the national education framework.
Despite this, he said students in private institutions continued to face limited access to government support.
“Tuition support should serve all Ghanaian students, regardless of their institution of choice,” he stated.
He further described the government’s No Fees Stress Initiative as a welcome and important intervention, but said its benefits should also be extended to accredited private universities.
He added that in the 2021/2022 academic year, private tertiary institutions enrolled 64,671 students and produced 17,760 graduates, demonstrating the sector’s significant contribution to national human capital development.
He reiterated that private universities were an established part of Ghana’s tertiary education system and should therefore be fully considered in national education support policies.
Prof. Ganu was inducted into office as the Vice-Chancellor of Valley View University last Sunday.
The fifth induction ceremony held in Accra saw dignitaries, including the Presidential Advisor and Chair of the Governing Council of the University of Ghana, Marietta Brew Appiah-Opong; Deputy Minister of Education, Clement Abas Apaak; representatives of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, traditional rulers, affiliate bodies, sister institutions, faculty and staff, in attendance.
Prof. Ganu said his five-year term would be a period of purposeful advancement, prudent stewardship, and measurable progress.
He stated that his leadership would focus on strengthening core values, rebuilding confidence where necessary, improving operations, and positioning the university for a stronger and more prosperous future.
Prof. Ganu, an alumnus of the university, pledged to lead with transparency, sincerity and integrity.
He said the university’s growth would depend on disciplined leadership, institutional unity, academic seriousness, financial responsibility, and the collective effort of all stakeholders.
Prof. Daniel Ganu is a public health scholar and dedicated educator whose work is rooted in the integration of faith, learning and service.
With over two decades of experience, he has served in various academic and administrative roles across institutions, contributing to academic quality, institutional development, and strategic transformation.
Marietta Brew Appiah-Opong, who represented the Chief of staff, Julius Debrah, described the occasion as a renewal of trust in institutional leadership and a reminder of the responsibility placed on universities to develop future leaders.
She said as Ghana’s first chartered private university, Valley View University continued to uphold a strong tradition of faith, scholarship, discipline and service, making leadership transitions particularly significant.
She emphasised that vice-chancellors were not merely administrators but custodians of values responsible for safeguarding academic standards, institutional culture, and the overall direction of the university.
She stressed that universities must go beyond producing graduates to shaping individuals who are ethical, innovative, and capable of contributing meaningfully to society.
She charged the university to uphold strong academic standards and maintain its values of discipline, faith and service.
For his part, Mr Apaak said the government was considering extending education support policies to cover students in accredited public and private universities.
He described the proposal as a “fair request” and said expanding interventions such as the No Fees Stress Initiative would depend on available resources, but could receive favourable consideration.
He stressed the importance of strengthening partnerships between universities, industry, and the government to align academic programmes with national development needs.
He also highlighted the role of universities in not only producing graduates for employment but also training students to think critically, solve problems, and lead with integrity.
He cautioned that while academic knowledge was important, it must be balanced with strong moral values, warning that knowledge without character is incomplete.
The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to supporting institutions such as Valley View University in improving access, quality, and relevance in tertiary education.
The Chair of Council and President, Mid-Ghana Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Pastor Jonathan Owusu, emphasised the university’s commitment to maintaining high academic standards and strengthening its mission of character formation and service.
