Making Students the Principal Focus in Institutional Management of Public Universities in Ghana: A Vehicle for Quality Assurance

Abstract

This paper enumerates some cases of student unrest in public universities in Ghana, and posits that the frequency of demonstrations and its attendant disruption of academic work is largely attributable to the antiquated institutional management practices where student influence in university governance is marginalized. The background reasons why the public universities are managed without much recourse to student views are examined; for example, the assertion that student satisfaction cannot be seen as an indication of good quality university education. Again, some current developments in university education in the country which necessitates the need for public universities to focus on student views in institutional management are outlined; for example, financial demands on students for which students are entitled to demand value for money. Based on the foregoing issues, measures that may be taken to ensure quality in university education by making students the principal focus in institutional management are discussed. The paper concludes that university students should be allowed to make greater contributions to policies that affect their education, and that policies and funds in public universities in Ghana should be directed in more student-centred ways.

Keywords: Public universities, student demonstrations, institutional management, educational process, quality assurance, student-centred, student views.

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/13-4-01

Publication date: February 28^th 2022