Ghana Students Advocacy appeals for review of Residential User Fee

Accra, June 2, GNA - Ghana Students Advocacy, a students' pressure group at the University of Ghana, Legon, has appealed to the University authorities to review the Residential Facility User Fee. "We appeal to the Vice-Chancellor to reconsider the fee if indeed he has the interest of students at heart since the global campaign for education argues affordable and quality education for all," it added. The appeal was contained in a statement issued in Accra on Thursday b= y Emmanuel Addo, Lead Advocate.

"In the situation whereby our demands are not met, we shall call on all students to converge on campus to embark on a massive demonstration to the Castle to display our displeasure on the part of the government's failure= to intervene and to the office of the Vice 96 Chancellor," it added.

The statement said 93Ghana Students Advocacy wish to notify the press= , university authorities, the government and all stakeholders that, until the university comes out clear on the mode of implementation of the Decongestio= n Policy and until they have reduced the Residential Facility User Fee, we shall not relent in our efforts to fight against the policy since it places unnecessary financial burden on students and parents, considering the state of our economy. 93 It said the group had witnessed a communiqu=E9 issued by the Universit= y Residential Board, which states that, 93Our academic facility user fee thu= s the school fees have been increased by 10 per cent. Students must apply for residency online by the close of 30th June, 2011 which clearly indicates that, continuing students should apply online to any traditional halls or the hostels whether you can pay or not".

The statement said: 93Failure to apply online, students will not be allowed to register for the academic year which is highly unfair, unjust an= d a breach of our constitutional right," it added. "Our plea to the university authorities and to the government is tha= t since an average Ghanaian cannot afford to pay GH¢400 at the traditional halls, GH¢720 at the university hostel, GH¢900 at Ghana Hostel and Evan= dy Hostel, the fees should be reduced so everyone can afford.

"This should be a matter of concern to the government since Universi= ty of Ghana is a public institution and that, if the government truly has the interest of the students at heart, it should intervene on time and see to the massive reduction of our accommodation fees since majority of students who cannot afford it will be at the losing end," the statement added.

"Article 25 (1) of Ghana's Constitution states that, all persons s= hall have the right to equal educational opportunities and facilities, and with a view to achieving the full realisation of that right, Clause C states that higher education shall be made equally accessible to all, on the basis of capacity, by every appropriate means, and in particular, by progressive introduction of free education." The statement pointed out that if the accommodation fee was not reduce= d it would deprive many students of their fundamental rights since all indications proved to the fact that many students could not afford and woul= d be compelled to defer their course.

It said those who might afford would have to go through so many means of raising such an amount of money which might be a danger to the society. "This plea if not given the necessary attention and consideration wo= uld be the biggest betrayal by the government and a breach of our Constitution in providing affordable education for all," it added.