Clement Apaak, Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Education Committee, has urged the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to ensure that tertiary institutions do not raise their fees above the 15% threshold approved by Parliament.
This follows allegations that some public tertiary institutions are charging roughly half of their current fees for the coming academic year.
Speaking to Citi News, Clement Apaak warned universities that had already faulted on the 15% increment directive to quickly reverse their decision and follow the legal procedures to request more if they felt the 15% increment was insufficient.
The Builsa South legislator issued these warnings in response to concerns raised by students across the country through the National Union of Ghana Students’ leadership (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. Suppose we probe and get evidence that any public institution is indeed charging exorbitant fees and flouting the law. In that case, we will clearly hold GTEC accountable because they have the supervisory authority over tertiary institutions in the country,” he said.
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 Parliament has sanctioned 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.”
In a Christmas Day statement, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) reminded “all public tertiary institutions to strictly adhere to the 15% fee 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 condemned any attempt to ignore the Parliamentary directive as insensitive.
