Dr Yaw Osei Adutuwm, Minister of Education, is scheduled to meet management of some public universities, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission and the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) over agitations that have met the increase in academic fees.
The student body has accused the University of Ghana (UG) and other public universities of increasing academic fees by 15%, without any stakeholder engagements.
The management of UG has, however, justified its decision to increase fees.
But the Public Relations Officer of the Education Ministry, Kwasi Kwarteng has said he is hopeful that a consensus would be arrived at the meeting on Thursday, January 5.
“The Minister for Education, Dr Yaw Adutwum, has once again intervened and has invited the universities in question. We have the University of Ghana (UG), University of Cape Coast (UCC), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and some other public universities.
“So we have extended invitation to them, hopefully, we will meet them together with GTEC this Thursday, January 5, 2023.”
Education Ministry
According to the PR, the entire aim of the meeting is to be able to find a lasting solution to the issue.
Meanwhile, the University of Ghana has set the record straight on the increase in Academic Facility User Fees (AFUF) for the 2022/2023 academic year.
This comes on the back of concerns raised by student leaders that the increase in fees exceeds the 15 per cent threshold approved by Parliament.
UG Corrects False Information
A statement issued by the University of Ghana on Monday, 2nd January 2023, signed by its Registrar, Emelia Agyei-Mensah, sought to “correct false information being circulated about adjustments of Academic Facility User Fees by the University for the 2022/2023 academic year.”
According to the University, the adjustments of fees by the University is based on rates approved by Parliament and communicated through the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).
The University explained that Parliament had approved a 5 per cent increment for the 2019/2020 academic year, which the University had staggered, with the authorisation coming mid-semester.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, though the increment should have been implemented, student leaders pleaded for a suspension due to the economic impact of the pandemic on parents.
“In effect, therefore, the University of Ghana charged students subsidised fees for the 2019/2020, 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 academic years, rather than the approved fees,” the statement said
UG Management Dares Students To Go To Court
The management of the University of Ghana further dared persons criticising its new fees as illegal to go to court.
Pro Vice Chancellor of the UG, Professor Gordon Awandare justified the increment saying the university is ready to challenge anybody who thinks otherwise in court.
According to him, the university will not condone any unmerited accusation. “To go on air and start talking about illegal increase and all that, that is a complete approach for any student to take because there is nothing illegal, if you feel there is an illegality, the court is there, we will meet you there,” he noted.
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