UG, GIJ students demand reduction in fees
Some concerned students of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) and the University of Ghana (UG), are demanding a drop in their school fees.
The students who have begun an online campaign with the hashtag #TertiaryFeesMustFall say the impact of COVID-19 makes it impossible to pay exorbitant fees for the 2020/2021 academic year which is yet to start.
A group of GIJ students calling itself the Concerned Tertiary Students of GIJ in a statement said management had increased their fees by 5 per cent whereas their counterparts in UG are expected to see 12 per cent increment in theirs.
Last year, undergrads at the University of Ghana paid between 1,098 and 2,128 cedis, depending on the program and academic level.
At GIJ, undergrads paid 2,400 cedis while week-end students paid 2,600cedis.
The decision to increase fees according to the students is insensitive and inconsiderate.
“A large number of students are on the verge of dropping out of school because of such an inconsiderate decision,” the students said in a statement.
They are, however, calling on management of the school to “rescind their decision on the increment of the fees for the 2020/2021 academic year, officially inform students of the nature and structure of the coming semester, and extend the deadline for the decreased fees”.
“The statement added that “we equally call on the government of Ghana and the Ministry of Education to listen to the plea of the tertiary students and respond affirmatively to the fee decrement call from tertiary students”.
Hundreds of tertiary students in both tertiary institutions have taken to social media to express their disquiet over the fee increment.
We can not afford to pay an increment of tertiary tuition fees in this era of a pandemic, please listen to our plea😭😭😭@NAkufoAddo @konkrumah @MatthewOPrempeh @moigovgh #tertiaryfeesmustfall#tertiaryfeesmustfall#tertiaryfeesmustfall pic.twitter.com/vWtukl4Fut
— McCoy (@JeneralMcCoy) October 6, 2020
Last semester, GIJ promised internet bundles to facilitate online exams, till date students don’t know when that is happening. Yet fees have been increased despite inexhaustive payments students made last semester.#tertiaryfeesmustfall pic.twitter.com/5puThIs00D
— Larry Abdus Samad (@tyme_speakx) October 6, 2020
Its simply inhumane for any tertiary Institution to increase fees in a time that many, including the President @NAkufoAddo have described as abnormal.#tertiaryfeesmustfall pic.twitter.com/MCm2xIIogH
— Larry Abdus Samad (@tyme_speakx) October 6, 2020
You are not too young to agitate against INJUSTICE. Voice out. Speak up.
Even if you can pay, they are a lot of students who can’t afford it, especially in this COVID-19 era. If for nothing, do this for them.#TertiaryFeesMustFall pic.twitter.com/3wwYEaBDfU
— Naa Ninche (@Naaninche1) October 6, 2020
Gij students have been given a deadline to pay their fees meanwhile they don’t know when they will return to school. #tertiaryfeesmustfall https://t.co/ibIzc1gfcr pic.twitter.com/M4cFXkSnPJ
— KALYJAY 👻 (@gyaigyimii) October 6, 2020
Dear @NAkufoAddo, kindly do something about our fees for us. All fingers are not equal. Thank you #tertiaryfeesmustfall pic.twitter.com/iJ5hg7MKU7
— Samifromafrica©🦍 (@mom_must_eat) October 6, 2020
#tertiaryfeesmustfall It’s very inhumane for tertiary school management to be increasing fees in these times. Our parents and guardians also suffered the job loss and pay cuts. pic.twitter.com/NSmDi00wLq
— InvisibleMe (@prymlegacy) October 6, 2020
Our results are blocked until we pay our next semester’s fee… where is this done? You can’t see the results of a semester you’ve paid😠😠… what is disheartening is that amidst this pandemic our fees have been increased. Ah ha Gij. .. hmm#tertiaryfeesmustfall@NAkufoAddo
— REDEEMER KUMAKE (@fillabiz) October 6, 2020