By Mr.Vincent Larrey|| University of Ghana
Mr.Vincent Larrey
On the 21st of March, 2020 I published an article indicating that the University Management and Board of Tertiary institutions should table the plight of students of all public institutions by refunding part, if not full, academic and residential fees of the “covid-19” semester.
Notwithstanding, I also emphasized that whereas direct refund could actually not be possible, the said refund should be credited to the subsequent academic semester. The balance brought forward – that is the percentage of the amount to be paid for the newly academic semester – will ensure that the fees of the said semester is reduced thereby alleviating students from financial difficulties.
There was a need for such a call since user fees and others like it charged on students in the beginning of the semester were not fully utilised during the second semester due to the covid-19 break. This, i suggested, a comprehensive dialogue between the Board of Vice Chancellors and the Government of Ghana will do.
Interestingly, fast forward 17th May, 2020, I chanced to meet many advocates who share my thoughts. They had come to the realization and arrived at the same conclusion of mine based on deliberations and consultations with some key stakeholders of the education sector.
In effect, as of yesterday, the SRC did issued a communique justifying that it was contending with the above matter and that, it is working closely to get it resolved. Since public Universities are government agencies with non-profit motives, funds should be utilized efficiently and effectively, also with the interest of students. The students’ body promised to keep students abreast with the aftermath. We pray and hope that the students representative body, in pursuant of their mandate, will be able to come out with a sounding victory in their pursuit of students welfare and interest.
Moreover, we binge and purge; the African way of tackling issues. It is obvious that the challenges pecked with the E learning modules rollout by Uni-management are in frivolity, a tooth ache to many students. How strategic could a system full of flaws and without any flexibility be used for grading our students and be described as the best? Most students cannot access the internet platforms due to no internet connectivity or mobile network challenges in their geographical area. Others are also limited because they do not have smart phones, laptops or PC’s. Even those who have are still at a disadvantage because the 5 gigabytes bandwidth allocation to them by Vodafone is scanty considering the number of programs on the e-Learning platforms to run. Worse of all, the Sakai platform where assessment is undertaking freezes, even during periods of interim Assessments (IA).
Today we have a system that do not listen to the voice of the masses. Even worse of that, as far as human nature is concerned, let us not be tempted to claim that the ‘user fees’ has been allocated to the E-learning experience.
In conclusion, even though refund in cash is not plausible;however, the case presented by some students are valid on the basis that subsequent fees alleviation may be possible. This we look forward to experiencing in next academic semester.
P/s: Without any malice my take on the issue of refund, is tailored at objective introspection and circumspection of the challenge. We should not subject the validity of channeling students plights to political gains and or scores.
By Mr.Vincent Larrey(CJ)
Afrotower24News 