Don’t incur wrath of Parliament with illegal fees – MP to universities
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A Deputy Ranking Member on the Education Committee of Parliament, Clement Apaak has urged the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to ensure that tertiary institutions do not increase their fees above the 15% threshold approved by Parliament.
This comes on the back of allegations that some public tertiary institutions are charging about 50% of their current fees for the next academic year.
Speaking to Citi News, Clement Apaak warned universities that have already faulted on the 15% increment directive to quickly reverse their decision and follow the legal procedures to ask for more if they felt the 15% increment wasn’t enough.
The Builsa South legislator made these admonishments following concerns raised by students across the country through the leadership of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS).
“We have become aware of complaints coming from the leadership of the National Union of Ghana Students to the effect that some public universities are charging fees above and beyond the approved 15% increase sanctioned by Parliament. If we probe and get evidence to the effect that any public institution is indeed charging exorbitant fees and flouting the law, we will clearly hold GTEC accountable because they have the supervisory authority over tertiary institutions in the country”.
In what can simply fit as a reiteration of the caution by GTEC a few days ago to public universities, Mr. Apaak said, “if any institution has any reason to believe that the 15% increment which has been sanctioned by Parliament will not be sufficient to address their needs, they know the needed processes and procedures to follow but they cannot on their own, defy what the law has prescribed as to what they can do within the context of an increment of the fees of students in our various public universities.”
The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) in a Christmas Day statement sent a kind reminder to “all public tertiary institutions to abide strictly by the 15% fees increase approval given” and warned that “any increases above the approved rate shall be in direct contravention of the fees and charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2022 (Act 1080) and likely to attract sanctions from the Parliament of Ghana.”
The University Students’ Association of Ghana (USAG) has already kicked against any attempts to disregard the Parliamentary directive and described same as insensitive.
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