Professor Clifford N.B. Tagoe, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana on Saturday challenged government to work towards improving the percentage of young people who progressed from primary education to the tertiary, if the country would attain a middle income status. He said this should emanate from a strong political will to invest more in the future of the young ones through an expansion of both private and public institutions. Prof. Tagoe made the call at a congregation ceremony for 2007/2008 academic year granduates of the University in Accra. In all, 5,422 students mainly from the humanities graduated. They comprised 484 diploma and certificate holders, 4,791 undergraduates and 167 postgraduates. Sixteen percent of the diplomats obtained distinction, 11.6 percent of the undergraduates obtained first class degrees, 35.42 percent had second class upper and 45,97 percent also obtained second class lower. Prof. Tagoe expressed disappointment at the number of qualified applicants who did not get admissions to tertiary institutions, saying the University in 2007 for instance, received 14, 375 applications for undergraduate programmes but it admitted only 6,956 of them. “I am sure that many of the young people we find by the roadside selling dog chains, chewing gum and related items are people who could have been sitting here today, as part of graduating class “, he added. The VC said reversing the trend was possible and pledged the University’s support to partner policy makers to achieve the goal. In academic affairs, Prof. Tagoe hinted that the University Council ordered for an audit of its academic and administrative structures, adding that, there would soon be major re-adjustments to reflect academic performance. He said the University had also established the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement to offer PhD programmes in plant breeding for crop scientists in the sub-region and a post-graduate programme in nuclear oriented disciplinary courses. The 2008/2009 academic year, he stated, will also introduce courses in Chinese Language and culture. Prof Tagoe further urged government to make direct allocations for capital investment in fixed infrastructure and equipment since the GETFund was only supplementary to the Consolidated Fund. He congratulated the grandautes for the successful completion of the course and urged them to do their best always and become good ambassadors to their alma mater.