<<Print>>

Polytechnic Teachers� Association of Ghana (POTAG) has described government�s decision to change the Book and Research Allowances to a Research Fund as premature, misplaced and calamitous. However, Minister of Education, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman is of the view that �the change is not premature but long overdue�. Finance Minister, Hon. Seth Terkper during his presentation of the 2014 budget, stated that the Market Premium and Book and Research Allowances have been replaced with Research Fund which will take care of the teachers� research activities upon application. POTAG says if government insists on going ahead with their decision, they (government) should look forward to protracted academic year in the various polytechnics in the country. Speaking to Kwami Sefa-Kayi on Peace FM, Thursday, the Education Minister does not understand why POTAG will think of going on strike when �everything we are doing is for their good; it is for them to rise fast�. She explained that the research fund will be more beneficial and will help the lecturers who conduct the research to be promoted. She however bemoaned that sometimes the monies are collected by the lecturers without conducting any research. �I know it is difficult to adjust to change but we should look at the larger picture. If we say it is premature, are we happy with the research input in this country? Definitely not; and the thing is that we can do much better if we have the right support�If you juxtapose the benefits or results of research conducted, it doesn�t match up to the amount of money being collected�everybody in the tertiary institution; your promotion depends on research and so it is surprising that someone will go on strike,� she said. Prof Jane Naana Agyeman also assured lecturers that there will be no bias in managing the research fund, adding when a �good research proposal is submitted, there is no way one will be rejected and that is why it is being placed in the hands of National Council For Tertiary Education (NCTE)�. Asked what will happen to the Book allowance, she said: �it depends on the research proposal. If the research proposal includes books, it will be part of the financial plan; however we would encourage that before the academic year, lecturers will submit their book list to the librarian so that they can order for them�this discussion has gone on for years� whenever they want to do (research): when they want to access the fund, they can do it.�