GIJ rescinds its decision on defaulting students
Management of the Ghana Institute of Journalism has withdrawn its decision to have all defaulting students defer their course.
It said all students who failed to register for the first semester of 2020/2021 now have the opportunity to register and write their end of semester exams instead of deferring their programmes.
“Management took this decision today, Wednesday, March 25, based on a petition received from student leaders yesterday and the engagement with the said students who rendered an unqualified apology on behalf of demonstrating students who had issued threats, untruths and insults against Management,” said a release signed by the Rector.
“We wish to place on record that Management consistently engaged with students about payment of fees and registration since 2018 when students embarked on a demonstration on a similar issue.
“Since then, Management has continually served notices to students and extended registration deadlines with no penalty and provided opportunities for students with difficulties to utilise the institution’s processes in resolving their issues to enable them register.”
“We, therefore wish to remind students and all stakeholders that GIJ is granting this amnesty to students for the last time” part of the statement read.
The school earlier on Monday, March 22, 2021, issued a statement directing all students who paid their fees after the registration deadline to defer their courses.
The directive sparked uproar on social media as some users pointed out that it is really insensitive especially in a global pandemic.
Among the students’ grievances is GIJ’s inability to give students an allowance for internet data although teaching, as well as examination, are conducted online.
“We are furious by the fact that the institute made us pay full fees, only to suddenly stop classroom lectures in favor of online teaching, bringing extra expenses to unfortunate parents smarting under the impact of the COVID pandemic. This is very insensitive, said a spokesperson for the aggrieved students.
“We were made to pay GHC200 as a penalty for late payment yet they are refusing us from writing the end-of-semester exams. This is unfair,” an aggrieved student said.
Barely 24hours after the protest, the school has rescinded its decision, it has granted all affected students amnesty to register and reschedule the commencement of the end-of-semester examination.
“Accordingly, examination scheduled to start on Monday 29 March 2021 is rescheduled to Tuesday 6 April 2021”
“We entreat all affected students to take advantage of this amnesty and register, management wishes all students good luck in their examination” the statement read.