Research Fellow at the African Education Watch, Divine Kpe, has called on the government to intervene in the decision by some universities to increase the 2020/2021 academic year fees.

Mr Kpe is of the view that the pandemic has affected businesses, adding that some persons have painfully lost their jobs, hence an increment is a slap in the face.

“Issues of school fees must be well talked about because it has implications. Looking at the effects Covid has brought on businesses some students will generally find it difficult to pay their school fees on time or may not even be able to pay at all,” said Divine Kpe in an interview with UniversNews.

Students from the Ghana Institute of Journalism and the University of Ghana have launched a separate protest on social media calling for a reduction in the 5% and 13% fee increment respectively.

Also, a group identified as Concerned Tertiary Students of GIJ (CTSG) has given management of both schools a 14-day ultimatum to reverse their decision.

Kpe also called for plans to extend the duration for payment of fees as most students who miss the deadline for full payment of fees are prevented from partaking in the end of semester examination.

“In case the government does not reduce it, they should intervene so that the school fees can be spread in a reasonable period so that the students will be able to pay. Otherwise, it will have implications on some of the students that are in school, because they may not be allowed to write their exams,” he said.