Increasing Access To Higher Education Through Self-paid Tuition

This research examined increasing access to higher education through self-paid tuition in Ghana. The research questions of this research were:What factors have influenced the enrollment trend in tertiary institutions in Ghana?What variables influence the choice of self-paid tuition by individual Ghanaians?What can Ghana learn from other countries like South Korea in increasing access to higher education through paid tuition?The variables that were investigated were:Good reputation:affordable fees; high prospect of getting employment after graduation; good learning environment:currents books and publications on subject to study; good internet access; lack of opportunities for further study in the public university or in Ghana and the possibility of learning a foreign language. The participants for this research were Ghanaian students of tertiary institutions. These participants were divided into three subgroups:1) Ghanaian students in a public tertiary institution in Ghana (herein called group A)2) self-sponsored Ghanaian students in a public tertiary institution in Ghana and a self-sponsored Ghanaian student in Ghana doing an online program outside Ghana (herein called group B) and3) self-sponsored Ghanaian students in tertiary institutions in China (herein called group C). For Group A, out of97questionnaires filled by respondents five were rejected as they were not properly filled. This means92questionnaires were properly filled. Group B represents self-sponsored Ghanaian students in Ghana Institute of Journalism, a public tertiary institution in Ghana and a self-sponsored Ghanaian student in Ghana doing an online program outside Ghana. For this group, out of22questionnaires filled one was not properly filled.21well answered questionnaires. Group C is made up of self-sponsored Ghanaian students in tertiary institutions in China. With this group, the23questionnaires administered were well filled and returned. All the variables investigated have a P value of less than the significance level of0.05. Therefore the proportions of these variables are statistically significant. This implies these variables do affect the decision to enroll in one tertiary institution or the other in Ghana. The research further investigated what changes participants wanted to see in Ghana’s higher education system and in their current institution. The variables that were investigated were the following:increase internet access; availability of teaching and learning facilities; rapport between lecturers and students; learning environment and cost of tuition. The respondents agreed they wanted changes in all these variables. This research was useful in offering some insight into the variables that influence the choice of one tertiary institution or the other in Ghana. It also shed some light of which aspects of Ghana’s higher education system should be improved. Concerning the third research question the research observed the government of Ghana can help private universities just like it is done in South Korea. Even though the central government has already invested a lot in higher education, this research still proposes that the GETFund should include students of private universities.