The Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, has warned governing councils of public universities to avoid involvement in the daily running of their institutions, saying such interference weakens governance and affects performance.

Speaking at the commissioning of a new hostel facility at Wisconsin International University College at Feyiase in the Ashanti Region, the Minister said government has strengthened governance structures in tertiary education to ensure clear separation of roles between university councils and management.

“We have improved the governance of our institutions of higher learning. As I stand here, I, as Minister for Education, do not interfere with the council of any university and how the council supports the management of the institution,” he said.

He warned that councils that “worry” or unduly interfere with university management were acting outside government’s policy direction and should desist from such behaviour.

“So to those councils that are worrying management, they should desist from that conduct. They don’t have my policy support,” he stated.

The Minister emphasised that universities are expected to be run effectively through a collaborative relationship between councils and management, built on mutual respect and professionalism.

“We expect the universities to be run effectively by councils and management. And we expect that the relationship between council and management would be one of collegiate atmosphere, that there is respect of council to management for the good of those institutions,” he added.

He further urged both parties to maintain a cooperative working environment in order to promote stability, efficiency and improved academic performance across the country’s tertiary institutions.