Some lecturers in the country’s universities are worried they could lose their jobs following a directive for further studies. The universities have introduced new recruitment standards, which require lecturers to hold doctorate degrees before their appointment as teaching staff. Lecturers with masters degrees appointed before this directive have two years to enroll in doctorate programs. The Business and Financial Times Newspaper reports some lecturers at the University of Ghana have already lost their jobs because of this new directive but authorities say the report is inaccurate. A lecturer who holds a Master of Philosophy degree told Joy News that his dream of becoming lecturer could be shattered once the directive takes effect. “I am somebody who has the penchant of becoming a lecturer. After my masters I was a teaching assistant for almost two years thinking that they will confer me as a full lecturer. I am myself absolutely devastated because I am somebody only lullaby can put me to sleep,” an affected lecturer told Joy FM’s Stephen Adjetey. “We have university that is crying that it has got young lecturers. It is quite ironical that you would now turn around and want someone with PhD before you take them on,” another disgruntled lecturer said. But responding to the concerns Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Kwesi Yankah, said the university only reactivated an existing rule. He said the decision was taken August last year to ensure that lecturers appointed to teach in the university have “a higher research degree preferably a doctorate degree.” Prof. Yankah however the directive does not stop the university from making more appointments. According to him some 30 persons have been appointed since last year to junior lecturer positions. Such tutors, he said, have “several opportunities” to upgrade themselves even in the same university. Source: Myjoyonline.com/Ghana