Caper Coast, Sept 29, GNA - Graduates of the Distance Education Programme of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) on Saturday expressed disappointment at "unfair treatment" by the UCC authorities. They said they were not allowed to shake hands with officials on the dais.

A number of them complained while others looked on in astonishment and in disbelief as the Chancellor of the University, Dr Sam Jonah, dissolved the convocation to signify the end of the second session of the 39th congregation.

The fist session was held on Friday during which 3,766 bachelor degrees and 307 post graduates who studied physical and biological sciences, agriculture, education and social science as well as Doctorate degrees, Masters, Masters in Philosophy and Masters in Business Administration took their certificates.

Saturday's congregation was for 2,997 graduates who offered the distance education programme and 229 others graduated with certificates/diplomas with courses such as Basic Education, Agricultural Extension and Micro Finance and the later had gone through the formalities.

When it got to the turn of the distance programme graduates, the authorities shook hands with only the graduates who had first class and asked the others to wait for their dummy certificates after the ceremony.

On the dais were dignitaries including Vice President Aliu Mahama, the out-going Vice-Chancellor, Rev Prof, Emmanuel Adow Obeng and the in-coming Vice Chancellor, Prof. Naana Opoku Agyemang.

Earlier Vice President Mahama had said the accreditation board had given 25 private institutions accreditation to operate universities and that the number kept increasing but assured Ghanaians that government will not compromise on quality. Rev. Prof. Obeng said a total of 7,299 students graduated this year and added that the image of the university had improved tremendously due to pragmatic policies it carried out to ensure qualitative higher education.