Conversion of single halls not cause of recent KNUST demo – MoE

Communications Director for the Ministry of Education [MoE], Ekow Vincent Assafuah has categorically stated that the conversion of the Unity and Katanga halls into mixed halls at the KNUST is never the cause of the recent riots by the students.

Most Ghanaians believe the recent violent demonstration in the University was as a result of the school authorities converting the single sex halls into mixed halls.

According to Vincent Assafuah, the students have confirmed they never meant any violent protest until they realized some colleagues of theirs had been arrested in line of their peaceful demonstration.

This was because government accepted their grievances in good faith, engaging in negotiations to address their issues at hand.

“It was not the conversion of single halls into mixed that caused the KNUST chaos as being speculated all over the country, but the arrest of students by school management, when there were engagements behind the scenes by government to resolve the misunderstandings between the school council and students,” he said.

In a one-on-one interview on UTV’s ‘Adekye Nsroma’ show, the MoE Communications Director indicated “the Student Representative Council [SRC] have admitted taking up the full cost of the damaged caused by some students in the school, but the school council have to access the total amount of the damage caused for the necessary decision to be taken first”.

The Chancellor of the KNUST, His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has gone to inspect the extent of damages caused by irate students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

Barely a week ago, students of the school went on rampage to register their grievances against school authorities, destroying school properties in the process.

The Occupant of the Golden Stool in his visit was accompanied by some chiefs of the Kumasi Council and some members of the Vice Chancellors Ghana.

On his arrival, he first inspected the administration block and later the Transport Section, TEC Hospital area and finally at the Office of the Dean of Students.

Peacefmonline gathers that the cost of destruction amounts to GHC 1.7 million.