We’ll vote Mahama out over astronomical fees – Polytechnic students

The Ghana National Union of Polytechnic Students (GNUPS) has threatened to vote out the Mahama-led administration if it fails to intervene in the impasse over the astronomical increase in fees of students in the various Polytechnics in the country.

A statement released by the student body-GNUPS and signed by the Public Relations Officer, Elvis Osei Amponsah said the students are made to believe that the increase in fees comes as a result of government’s failure to release subventions for the institutions, which according to them, is likely to affect the NDC government in the polls come December 7.

“The current posture being exhibited by authorities of our tertiary institutions under the blanket of academic autonomy makes useless of government’s interventions towards making tertiary education accessible. Why is government staying aloof for its efforts to be thwarted by some authorities of our Tertiary institutions,” the statement added.

The statement further said: “Polytechnic students for instance continue to ask questions as to whether the recent hike in fees is a deliberate policy to make students pay more to fund the recently introduced Technical University concept of President John Dramani Mahama.”

It said the current trend has brought untold hardships to students, resulting in a number of students deferring their courses due to financial constraints, calling on government to intervene to avert the looming danger accompanied by the ‘unpopular decision of management.’

Read the full statement by GNUPS

GOVERNMENT MUST INTERVENE, LEST WE DROP OUT.

The most common among topics currently being discussed by students of Ghana across the length and breath of our country is the issue of the astronomical rise in school fees. The Polytechnic students for instance continue to ask questions as to whether the recent hike in fees is a deliberate policy to make students pay more to fund the recently introduced Technical University concept of President John Dramani Mahama.

Some authorities of the Polytechnics have declined opening negotiations with the SRCs on the school fees whilst others who allowed for negotiations took entrenched positions of not reducing amounts which have been proposed.

Our surprise is hinged not only on the astronomical increment in amount of items but also the introduction of unjustifiable components on the fee structure.

The government must intervene to avert the looming danger accompanied by this unpopular decision of management.

The number of students who would have to defer their course due to financial constraints and the denial of access to fresh entrants is the least to mention.

The current posture being exhibited by authorities of our tertiary institutions under the blanket of academic autonomy makes useless of government’s interventions towards making tertiary education accessible.

Why is government staying aloof for its efforts to be thwarted by some authorities of our Tertiary institutions. Students are being told the falsehoods that their fees are rising due to government’s refusal to pay subventions to the institutions and with this impression in the minds of our students, I am sure the President can guess right, to who the votes of Tertiary Students would go.

Government must swiftly intervene in this matter to once again demonstrate its preparedness to save education which is the only and last resort for our development.

Elvis Osei Amponsah

Public Relations Officer, Ghana National Union of Polytechnic Students