The management of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) says the school is open and will continue its end-of-semester examinations as scheduled from today, Monday, 3 December 2018.

“Students who have paid their fees and registered are eligible to take part in exams. These include students who faced challenges with registration online and were assisted by the Academic Affairs Department to register. However, Management is still eager to consider any students who paid the required fees by the November 21st deadline and have been unable to register online for any reason,” a statement signed by Nana Akua Agyemang-Badu, Head, Public Affairs Office said.

The authorities said like in most universities, students are required to pay fees and register at the beginning of the semester to be able to participate in lectures and examinations but this academic year, “Management offered students the opportunity to settle their fees by extending the period several times: from end of September, to October, and finally to November 21, 2018.”

For proper planning of university operations and administration, the authorities said registration cannot be extended beyond 21 November.

According to the statement, it has been the practice of GIJ, and still is, that first year students are required to pay a minimum of 80 per cent of their fees in the first semester by a due date, while continuing students pay 60 per cent of their fees. The remaining fees are paid in the second semester.

On Sunday, 2 December 2018, the student protested after some of them were turned away from sitting for their exams over their failure to register online for the papers as well as their inability to pay their fees in full. The tense atmosphere on campus led Management to call in the police to maintain law and order, and the examinations scheduled for Sunday were suspended.

The school authorities said the examination resumes today, Monday, 3 December 2018, and any registered student who is eligible to write the examinations but fails to present him or herself does so at his or her own risk.