BETCO closed down over student agitation

Berekum (B/A), March 29, GNA - The Berekum Training College (BETCO) in the Brong Ahafo Region was closed down indefinitely on Thursday due to student agitation over the deduction of feeding grants from their allowances.

This is the second training college to be closed down in the Region within one week as a result of student protests. The Regional Director of Education, Mr B.A. Agalga, gave the order for the closure following threats by the students to go on a demonstration.

According to the students, since they were expected to break for one month for the census, they did not understand why the administration wanted to deduct 56,000 cedis from their allowance as a feeding grant. They threatened to use every means at their disposal to prevent what they called the "illegal and unjustified deduction".

Not even a telephone conversation with the Director in charge of the Teacher Education Unit of the Ghana Education Service and a visit by Mr Agalga could convince the students to change their stand.

After a series of agitation, including noisy all-night vigils, the Regional Director ordered the closure to save life and property. Mr Baffour Asare-Ahenkan, Vice-Principal, confirmed the closure in an interview with the GNA and described the students' behaviour as groundless.

Mr Asare-Ahenkan said apart from June, July and August, the GES allowed the deduction for the remaining nine months that students stayed on campus. He said though the students were going to stay off campus for about a month due to the census, the deduction had to be made because they may have to over-stay when they resume to make up for the lost period.

The St Joseph's Training College at Bechem was also closed down last Friday following students protests against deductions from their allowances to settle electricity and water bills.