Tertiary institutions asked to accept 50% part fees payment

The National Union of Ghana Students after it petitioned the government to suspend tertiary institutions’ fees increment year has urged the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission to direct public tertiary institutions to accept 50% part fees payment.

In a statement shared with AcademicWeek.com, the Union said the 50% part payment of fees when approved by the government-accredited institutions will allow students to register their courses and pay the outstanding balances later.

“The Students Union in a meeting proposed to GTEC that all public tertiary institutions should be directed to accept 50% part payment of fees to allow students to register and pay the outstanding balances within the year

This we believe is the best way of cushioning students in these difficult times. This directive should cover both fresh students and continuing students,” the leadership of the Ghana Union Students (NUGS) stated in the press statement.

NUGS following the 15% increment in public tertiary institution fees and charges has also called on all institutions that have illegally increased fees beyond the parliament-approved 15% threshold to immediately reverse such increment.

“The National Union of Ghana Students will be preparing a report and (publish same) on such illegal actions and will take every legal and reasonable means to correct such injustice on Ghanaian students,” the NUGS leadership said.

NUGS proposal comes after the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) after a meeting with relevant stakeholders in the education sector approved fees and charges for tertiary institutions for the 2022/2023 academic year.

In a letter shared with AcademicWeek.com, the GTEC said the approval of the next academic year’s fees follows advice they received that alongside the passage of the fees and charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2022 (Act 1080)

“The advice we have received is that alongside the passage of the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2022 (Act 1080), a 15% increase across board should be approved by the Parliament of Ghana for all institutions covered by the Act,” it stated.

The Tertiary Commission in the release added that “Fees and charges applicable in all public tertiary education institutions for the 2022/2023 academic year may be adjusted by up to a maximum of 15% of the last approved rates.”

GTEC citing the Second Scheduled of the Act 1080 said for the avoidance of doubt, any adjustments made to the tertiary institutions’ fees and charges must not exceed 15% of the fees charged for the 2021/2022 academic year.

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“For the avoidance of doubt, any adjustments made to the Fees and Charges must not exceed 15% of the fees charged for the 2021/2022 academic year,” the letter signed by the GTEC Director-General to the Minister for Education stated.