Polytechnic students have expressed worry over high fees for the 2016/2017 academic year. The students suspect that the hike in fees is intended to facilitate the transition of polytechnics to universities following the introduction of the Technical University concept by President John Dramani Mahama.
The Ghana National Union of Polytechnic Students (GNUPS) in a statement, called on government to employ its powers in reducing the astronomical fees as polytechnic authorities have refused negotiations with student leaders.
The Union is concerned that many students will be forced to defer their courses or even drop out if the fees are not revised immediately.
Below is the statement released by GNUPS:
GOVERNMENT MUST INTERVENE, LEST WE DROP OUT
The most common among topics currently being discussed by students of Ghana across the length and breadth of our country is the issue of the astronomical rise in school fees. The Polytechnic students for instance continue to ask questions as to whether the recent hike in fees is a deliberate policy to make students pay more to fund the recently introduced Technical University concept of President John Dramani Mahama.
Some authorities of the Polytechnics have declined opening negotiations with the SRCs on the school fees whilst others who allowed for negotiations took entrenched positions of not reducing amounts which have been proposed.
Our surprise is hinged not only on the astronomical increment in amount of items but also the introduction of unjustifiable components on the fee structure.
The government must intervene to avert the looming danger accompanied by this unpopular decision of management. The number of students who would have to defer their course due to financial constraints and the denial of access to fresh entrants is the least to mention.
The current posture being exhibited by authorities of our tertiary institutions under the blanket of academic autonomy makes useless of government’s interventions towards making tertiary education accessible.
Why is government staying aloof for its efforts to be thwarted by some authorities of our Tertiary institutions. Students are being told the falsehoods that their fees are rising due to government’s refusal to pay subventions to the institutions and with this impression in the minds of our students, I am sure the President can guess right, to who the votes of Tertiary Students would go.
Government must swiftly intervene in this matter to once again demonstrate its preparedness to save education which is the only and last resort for our development.
Elvis Osei Amponsah
Public Relations Officer, Ghana National Union of Polytechnic Students
By: Marie-Franz Fordjoe/Radio Univers 105.7FM
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