A Deputy Ranking Member on the Education Committee of Parliament Dr. Clement Appak has blamed the cause for accommodation challenges in public universities for poor planning.
He asserted that it was very clear that the funding for tertiary education did not make enough provision for capital expenditure.
He made the remarks while addressing the house on the matter during the week.
The issue of accommodation for students admitted into the various tertiary institutions has become a major challenge for some parents and their wards.
In addition to the above, the accommodation fees charged outside the university halls of residence by some hostels have been described as outrageous.
Some students who are unable to secure accommodation on campus have no option but to pay the private ones closer to campus.
Dr. Apaak in his submission noted that the total amount allocated for the sector was Ghc 866 million.
The amount he lamented was not enough because the students’ population had increased.
He argued that the second cohort of the free senior high school programme have entered university and yet, we are not giving them space and the expansion of academic and residential facilities”.
“This is why we are where we are. And these are some of the reasons that Members of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) have stated since they have to sacrifice small lecture halls, an increased number of students, and indeed a very slow ICT infrastructure, lack of teaching and learning facilities.
This clearly is as a result of our planning and I remember fully well that in 2018, the wise Asantehene Otumfuo admonished government to start making preparations at the tertiary level for obvious reasons,” but the government failed to do that.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana