Professor John Sefa Kwaku Ayim, Vice-Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi has said that aggregate 24 is no longer a guarantee to give anyone a place in any University in the country.
Speaking at the 2001/2002 Matriculation ceremony of the University on Saturday, Professor Ayim pointed out that a straight "C", that is aggregate 18 or better would be the requirement for entrance into the Universities in future.
He announced that the KNUST received 16,118 applications but was able to admit only 4,146 fresh students including 307 postgraduates, bringing the student population to over 11,600 with female participation of under 25 per cent.
Professor Ayim indicated that the quality of education at the KNUST has attracted international recognition, stressing that over 100 foreign students have been enrolled in the first years for various programmes.
He said the biggest problem facing the University is residential accommodation, pointing out that 8,000 students are officially non-resident.
Plans, Professor Ayim said, are far advanced to add 500 to 1,000 bed spaces per year during the next years and that resources for the project would come from three main resources which he mentioned as internal, private and the government.
The Vice-Chancellor stressed that space in the lecture theatres and rooms are no longer adequate, and that, "large classes are being split to bring comfort to students but discomfort to lecturers. I will plead with you students to bear with us, for our intentions are noble".
Professor Ayim said three organisations have decided to construct hostels to ease the accommodation problems at the University.
He advised the students to comport themselves and manage their time wisely and not to allow themselves to allow frivolous activities that tend to divert their attention from their studies.
