The Vice-Chancellor of Valley View University, Professor Dr Daniel Ganu, has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to extend government tuition support policies to students enrolled in private universities.
According to Prof Ganu, private universities play a critical role in expanding access to tertiary education in Ghana by providing additional opportunities for students who may otherwise be unable to secure admission to public universities.
He argued that private institutions also help ease pressure on public universities, particularly when state-owned institutions reach their admission capacities.
Prof Ganu made the call while speaking at the 34th Graduation Ceremony of Valley View University in Accra, where a total of 1,156 students were celebrated for successfully completing various academic programmes.
He said the contribution of private universities to the country’s higher education system should be recognised in government policy, particularly in programmes designed to make tertiary education more accessible and affordable.
Prof Ganu said private universities absorb a significant portion of the demand for tertiary education whenever public institutions are unable to accommodate all qualified applicants.
He therefore appealed to the government to consider extending its tuition support initiatives to students in accredited private universities.
He said such a policy would provide relief to families struggling to finance tertiary education while ensuring that students are not denied opportunities simply because they attend private institutions.
The Vice-Chancellor also called on the government to consider extending its existing “stress-free” tuition support policy to students in private universities.
He said extending such support would strengthen the broader tertiary education system and ensure that government interventions benefit students based on need and academic opportunity rather than solely on the ownership status of the institution they attend.
Prof Ganu disclosed that Valley View University was graduating a total of 1,156 students from its various campuses and academic programmes.
He explained that 237 students had already graduated from the university’s Kumasi Campus, while another 219 had graduated from the Techiman Campus.
About 700 students were graduating at the university’s main campus in Accra during the ceremony.
The Vice-Chancellor congratulated the graduates, describing their achievement as the result of determination, discipline, faith and hard work.
He noted that their academic journey had involved lectures, examinations, assignments, research, presentations, practical experiences and tight deadlines, as well as moments of disappointment and uncertainty.
“Yet you persevered,” he told the graduating students, adding that their presence at the ceremony demonstrated what could be achieved when determination, discipline, faith and hard work came together.
Prof Ganu said the ceremony was particularly significant to him because it was his first graduation ceremony since assuming office as Vice-Chancellor of Valley View University.
He expressed his honour at sharing the occasion with the graduating class of 2026 and congratulated them on reaching an important milestone in their academic and professional lives.
“Today is a special day and significant occasion because we are gathered here to celebrate the achievements of our graduates,” he said.
He urged the graduates to remain committed to the values they had acquired during their time at the university as they transition into the world of work and other areas of national life.
Prof Ganu stressed that education should go beyond the acquisition of academic knowledge and professional qualifications.
He said Valley View University, as an institution of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, seeks to develop graduates who are intellectually, spiritually, socially and professionally prepared to contribute meaningfully to society.
He said the university’s objective was to produce graduates who are competent, people of integrity, compassionate towards others and conscious of their responsibilities to God and society.
The Vice-Chancellor reminded the graduates of the university’s three core values — Excellence, Integrity and Service — and urged them to uphold these principles throughout their lives.
He challenged them to pursue excellence in whatever they do, describing excellence as the willingness to give one’s best even when nobody is watching.
According to him, excellence also means refusing to settle for mediocrity when there is an opportunity to do better and taking every responsibility seriously.
He encouraged the graduates to distinguish themselves wherever they find themselves and to become known for the quality of their work, character and commitment to service.
Prof Ganu’s call adds to broader discussions about the role of private tertiary institutions in Ghana’s education system.
Private universities have become an important part of the country’s higher education landscape, providing alternative avenues for students seeking university education and helping to accommodate the growing demand for tertiary education.
Beyond increasing access, the institutions train graduates in fields aligned with emerging labour-market needs and contribute to the development of Ghana’s human capital.
Prof Ganu therefore believes government policies aimed at easing the financial burden of tertiary education should take into account the contribution of both public and private universities.
He said a more inclusive approach would help ensure that qualified Ghanaian students have greater opportunities to pursue higher education, regardless of whether they are enrolled in a public or private institution.
The 34th Graduation Ceremony subsequently served not only as a celebration of the achievements of the 2026 graduating class but also as a platform for renewed calls for policies that make tertiary education more accessible and affordable to Ghanaian students.
By 1960news.com
