Council to review increase in external degree fees

Accra, July 18, GNA - Ms Elizabeth Ohene, Minister of Education in charge of Tertiary Education, on Friday said she had asked the National Council on Tertiary Education (NCTE) to review the increase in academic fees of the External Degree Centre of the University of Ghana. This follows an appeal made by the Students Representative Council (SRC) of the University on Thursday to withdraw the introduction of full fees payment at the External Degree Centre. The new fees would see Bachelor of Arts students paying six million cedis while those offering Bachelor of Science in Administration pay eight million cedis annually.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Ms Ohene said she had not been officially informed about the increase either by the University Authorities or the SRC. "If the students have appealed against it, then there is the need for all the bodies concerned to find solution to the matter. "However, I cannot state whether the fees would be reduced because I don't know how they were arrived at in the first place, which explains why I wanted to find out what can be done," she said. Ms Ohene said until she heard from the NCTC, the University Authorities and SRC it would be difficult for her to further comment on the matter. Meanwhile, the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the SRC, who made the appeal, has lauded the university authorities for turning the External Degree Centre into an additional campus.