The Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana (GRASAG National) says it will oppose any attempt by authorities of public universities to increase fees.
In a statement jointly undersigned by the Association’s President, Thomas Elorm Tagbotor and PRO, Emmanuel Owusu, GRASAG noted that the proposed increments will affect undergraduate students, hence their concern.
The group added that, the decision comes at a time of economic hardship, and therefore their resistance to the proposed upward adjustments.
It therefore called on the government and other relevant stakeholders to freeze the upward review of fees for the upcoming academic year.
“GRASAG members all over the country have been hit hard by the economic downturn, and an increase in
university fees, we believe, will exacerbate the situation”, portions of the statement said.
The Association further stated that it has received a lot of disturbing news from its members on how this
increment will negatively impact their finances, hence the call for government and the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to “halt the implementation of this increment indefinitely to allow for further engagements with all relevant stakeholders, including Student Unions”.
“We would like to state unequivocally that GRASAG will oppose any attempt by the any University Management to impose the increment on our members without extensive engagements with all relevant stakeholders.
Finally, we want to encourage our members to remain calm while we take steps to intervene in this matter”, the statement concluded.
The call by the students union comes on the back of some announced increments in fees by some tertiary institutions across the country.
This has been met with fierce resistance from some aggrieved students who have expressed their displeasure over the development.
In a series of tweets and other social media posts monitored by MyJoyOnline.com, the visibly displeased students have bemoaned the increments; stressing its adverse economic impact on them.
Meanwhile, the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) says it is working around the clock to resolve the impasse between students and the various managers of public universities across the country.