Akatsi North MP Ask UG, GIJ To Reverse Increment Of Fees

The Ranking Member on the Education Committee of Parliament, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, wants management of the University of Ghana (UG) and the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) to halt the increment in fees for the 2020/2021 academic year until Parliament approves it.

According to him, Parliament has not received any proposal to that effect.

This follows a 14-day ultimatum issued by some students of GIJ asking management to rescind the decision.

Member of Parliament for Akatsi North, Mr. Nortsu- Kotoe, in an interview with Citi News urged the management of the various public universities to reach a compromise with their student leadership before forwarding the proposed fees to Parliament.

“School authorities can go back and engage the student leadership before the increment of fees. School authorities do not have the power to increase fees without parliamentary approval. So they must negotiate with student leaders, bring it to Parliament before they can charge [new fees],” he said.

Group kicks against increase in fees by tertiary institutions

A group known as the Concerned Tertiary Students of GIJ (CTSG), on October 6, 2020, kicked against increment of fees by some tertiary institutions in the country.

The group in a statement bemoaned the likelihood of a number of students dropping out of school due to the increment of the fees for the 2020/2021 academic year.

The group noted that “The Ghana Institute of Journalism and the University of Ghana are facing a 5% and 12% respective fee increment for the upcoming 2020/2021 academic year with hints of the increment from other tertiary institutions.”

CTSG thus demanded the government's intervention citing monetary challenges brought on students and their parents by the coronavirus pandemic.

---citinewsroom