Review cost of university entry forms - Union appeals

Nyankpala (N/R), March 24, GNA - The Kwahu Obooma Association of Tamale has appealed to the authorities of the country's universities to review the cost of university entry forms, which currently costs between 400,000 and 470,000 cedis per form.

The Association said the cost of the forms was "on the high side and since the students, who apply for them are not workers, their parents have to squeeze money from some where to pay." Mr Kwabena Adane, Chairman of the association, made the appeal at a meeting of the Eastern Region Kwahu Students' Union of the University for Development Studies (UDS) at Nyankpala on Thursday.

He advised members of the union not to whip up ethnic sentiments but to regard other ethnic groups on the campus as "brothers and sisters" and accord them the needed respect.

He urged the students to use part of their vacation periods to organise classes for school children at the basic level to enable them to improve upon their academic performance.

Mr Adane advised the union members to be patriotic to their country and accept postings to the rural areas, where their services could help improve the quality of life of the people, especially in the areas of education, health and the provision of potable water and sanitation facilities.

Mr Kwaku Yirenkyi-Kwakye President of the union appealed to the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Abubakar Saddique Boniface to initiate a programme that would entice or encourage students, who were not natives of the region but had graduated from the university, to serve in the region.

He pledged the readiness of members of the union to go on educational campaigns in the districts to educate the people on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and called on the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) and the Northern Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Health for support.

Mr Yirenkyi-Kwakye commended the Okyehene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin for his crusade to protect the environment and appealed to him to recruit students during their National Service for tree planting to replenish the environment.

He also praised queen mothers for their role in preserving the country's rich culture and tradition and urged them to encourage practices that sought to preserve the chastity of young girls before marriage, saying, this would help reduce teenage pregnancy in the country.