Public varsities make minimal increases in admissions

The number of admissions by public universities in the country has gone up marginally despite earlier assurances by government that infrastructure at the various universities would be improved to accommodate more students.

Deputy Minister for Education, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa told Joy News in July that government had taken necessary measures to ensure that all qualified students gain admission into tertiary institutions this year.

About 400,000 students comprising two streams of Senior High School leavers are seeking admissions into universities this year.

Government had devoted an amount of seven million cedis for the construction of special projects to help make room for an expanded intake of students this year.

But the Director of Academic Affairs at the University of Ghana, Legon, Enoch Amartey says the university is admitting 17,000 students this year, the same figure for last year.

The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology has, however, increased intake from last year’s 13,000 to 17,000, Luv FM’s Erastus Asare Donkor reports.

The University's authorities fear that the number will put a strain on the already limited facilities there.

Meanwhile, various private universities have pitched camps at the KNUST to cash in on those who may lose out on admission, he observed.

Though the private universities are willing to give students the opportunity to access tertiary education, the high fees they charge is deterring many students from applying to study there.

At the University of Cape Coast, Richard Kojo Nyarko reported that parents have swarmed the school aiding their wards through the registration process, whilst others hang around hoping to secure admission for their children.

But the Registrar in charge of Academics said the university could only admit 1,000 students more than it did last year. The admission for last year was 5,000 and has been increased to 6,000 out of the over 20,000 qualified applicants.

Hasmin Mohammed reported from the University for Development Studies that 3,500 students were admitted last year but the number has been increased to 5,000. Over 12,000 qualified applicants applied to the university.