NEWS COMMENTARY ON NUGS-BACKED UNIVERSITY OF GHANA STUDENTS DEMONSTRATION
An African proverb has it that a toad does not run in day time for nothing. If this is anything to go by, then students of the University of Ghana, Legon, may not be on the streets for nothing. They really might have a legitimate case and should be listened to. Over the years demonstrations have always been used to express dissatisfaction over a policy or an action. Today’s demonstration by the students of the University of Ghana should not be seen as a misplaced priority. It is true that a solution to a problem has never been found on the street, rather through dialogue. Reports that all attempts by the students to dialogue with the University of Ghana authorities have not gone through are unfortunate. The action of the students may be seen by many as an act of disrespect because at their last meeting with the Deputy Minister of Education, Mahama Ayariga, they were asked to call off the planned demonstration. It must be emphasised that it is the students who are wearing the shoes and feel how severe the pain is. Based on the University of Ghana calendar, students at the main campus are expected to register by August 5. If they fail to meet this deadline they will not be able to write their end of semester examination in December. This means automatic deferments of their programmes. The sad truth is that any student who cannot pay his or her fees this year may not be able to do so next year because fees at the University of Ghana have always been on the ascendancy. The students therefore have a legitimate case.
A close look at developments at the University of Ghana appears the current management is not listening to divergent views. The current Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey, on assuming office is reported to have stated that students should not bring their poverty to destroy his policies. This was at a meeting, when a student observed that the decongestion policy will prevent many poor students from studying at the University of Ghana. True to his words, all pleas by the Legon SRC and NUGS to bring a human face to the decongestion policy have fallen on deaf ears. Come next academic year which begins in August the lucky students who will have rooms in the traditional halls of the university will pay four hundred Ghana cedis as hall fees. In addition Level 200 and 300 students in the Humanities and Business School will pay academic facility user fees of four hundred and twenty seven Ghana cedis and four hundred and eighty two Ghana cedis, with those in the physical science paying five hundred and twelve Ghana cedis. The story is worse for those pursuing the Distance Degree programme and those at the Accra City Campus considering the disparity in facilities at their disposal and the fees they pay.
In a statement issued on July 18 and signed by the Acting Registrar, F.K. Yeboah, the University agreed that students can pay 50 percent of academic facility user fees and pay the remaining at the commencement of the second semester. In the absence of no reduction, this is a feasible alternative but the truth is that paying in instalment does not take away the effects of the fee increment on parents. Looking at these figures aside from feeding, photocopying, clothing, one can conclude that not even the best paid Civil Servant in Ghana can afford to cater for two children at the University of Ghana, and also think of building a house let alone buying a car. As for peasant farmers, fishermen and petty traders at Makola, the least said about them, the better.
Students of the University of Ghana have been chained with these sky rocketing fees for far too long, and if there is anything to lose in demonstrating, it is rightly the chains. The University authorities have argued that they have installed CCT Cameras in the school in an effort to curb exam malpractice and these among other things have led to the increases in fees. This is certainly a good move but why is it that the cost cannot be spread over a period of time? In any case how good is good when it can undo the happiness of many. In fact, if this is allowed to go on, chances are that the public funded University of Ghana will soon be an institution for only the rich and this must not be entertained. Management of the University must bear in mind that they have been entrusted to run a public facility and should not run it like their private property. They must be told in clear terms that the University of Ghana is made up of students of single mothers, teachers, fishermen and even orphans who have to travel to farming communities during semester breaks to work on farms and get money for school fees. May God save students of the University of Ghana, as they fight for their legitimate right.
BY: GEORGE ASEKERE, A JOURNALIST
An African proverb has it that a toad does not run in day time for nothing. If this is anything to go by, then students of the University of Ghana, Legon, may not be on the streets for nothing. They really might have a legitimate case and should be listened to. Over the years demonstrations have always been used to express dissatisfaction over a policy or an action. Today’s demonstration by the students of the University of Ghana should not be seen as a misplaced priority. It is true that a solution to a problem has never been found on the street, rather through dialogue. Reports that all attempts by the students to dialogue with the University of Ghana authorities have not gone through are unfortunate. The action of the students may be seen by many as an act of disrespect because at their last meeting with the Deputy Minister of Education, Mahama Ayariga, they were asked to call off the planned demonstration. It must be emphasised that it is the students who are wearing the shoes and feel how severe the pain is. Based on the University of Ghana calendar, students at the main campus are expected to register by August 5. If they fail to meet this deadline they will not be able to write their end of semester examination in December. This means automatic deferments of their programmes. The sad truth is that any student who cannot pay his or her fees this year may not be able to do so next year because fees at the University of Ghana have always been on the ascendancy. The students therefore have a legitimate case.
A close look at developments at the University of Ghana appears the current management is not listening to divergent views. The current Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey, on assuming office is reported to have stated that students should not bring their poverty to destroy his policies. This was at a meeting, when a student observed that the decongestion policy will prevent many poor students from studying at the University of Ghana. True to his words, all pleas by the Legon SRC and NUGS to bring a human face to the decongestion policy have fallen on deaf ears. Come next academic year which begins in August the lucky students who will have rooms in the traditional halls of the university will pay four hundred Ghana cedis as hall fees. In addition Level 200 and 300 students in the Humanities and Business School will pay academic facility user fees of four hundred and twenty seven Ghana cedis and four hundred and eighty two Ghana cedis, with those in the physical science paying five hundred and twelve Ghana cedis. The story is worse for those pursuing the Distance Degree programme and those at the Accra City Campus considering the disparity in facilities at their disposal and the fees they pay.
In a statement issued on July 18 and signed by the Acting Registrar, F.K. Yeboah, the University agreed that students can pay 50 percent of academic facility user fees and pay the remaining at the commencement of the second semester. In the absence of no reduction, this is a feasible alternative but the truth is that paying in instalment does not take away the effects of the fee increment on parents. Looking at these figures aside from feeding, photocopying, clothing, one can conclude that not even the best paid Civil Servant in Ghana can afford to cater for two children at the University of Ghana, and also think of building a house let alone buying a car. As for peasant farmers, fishermen and petty traders at Makola, the least said about them, the better.
Students of the University of Ghana have been chained with these sky rocketing fees for far too long, and if there is anything to lose in demonstrating, it is rightly the chains. The University authorities have argued that they have installed CCT Cameras in the school in an effort to curb exam malpractice and these among other things have led to the increases in fees. This is certainly a good move but why is it that the cost cannot be spread over a period of time? In any case how good is good when it can undo the happiness of many. In fact, if this is allowed to go on, chances are that the public funded University of Ghana will soon be an institution for only the rich and this must not be entertained. Management of the University must bear in mind that they have been entrusted to run a public facility and should not run it like their private property. They must be told in clear terms that the University of Ghana is made up of students of single mothers, teachers, fishermen and even orphans who have to travel to farming communities during semester breaks to work on farms and get money for school fees. May God save students of the University of Ghana, as they fight for their legitimate right.
BY: GEORGE ASEKERE, A JOURNALIST
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