Expanding Higher Education for the Public Good: Ghanaian Stakeholders’ Perspectives on the Quality Dimension

Abstract

This study examined the views of twenty-three stakeholders connected to the Higher Education (HE) sector in Ghana, to understand the links they make between HE and the fulfilment of the public good. The study, which was conducted in 2018, was purely qualitative, employing individual interviews and focus group discussions. The results showed that stakeholders make strong links between the quality of inputs into HE, the approaches used in imparting and assessing relevant knowledge and skills, and the quality of graduates. They also drew links between the quality of HE, the products and their ability to serve the public good in addressing the problems of the society. The implication is that the quality of an institution is measured by the quality of investments made into it, the quality of faculty and instruction and its ability to serve the public good. The study recommends that HE institutions should design programmes that regularly develop the pedagogical competence of HE faculty to make HE pedagogy more relevant to societal needs. It also makes a case for the provision of academic/remedial support for students who may be underprepared for HE, while ensuring that the quality of HE practitioners and participants is of an acceptable standard. Lastly, higher education institutions should create conditions that can bring about innovations in funding, good governance and accountability.