Universities that increase fees by more than 15% will be penalized- Education Ministry

According to the Ministry of Education, public universities that charge tuition increases that are greater than the authorized 15 percent will face consequences.

Some public colleges are demanding tuition increases for the 2022–2023 academic year that are more than the authorized 15 percent increase, according to the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS).

The Union has since petitioned a number of pertinent governmental entities, including Parliament, to address its concerns.

The Public Relations Officer for the Ministry, Kwasi Kwarteng, spoke on the subject said that no university found charging more than the permitted cost will be spared.

“I am saying that whenever we have an official complaint as a Ministry that any University has charged more than what Parliament approves of course you don’t need Kwesi Kwarteng to confirm this because the law is clear. The legal framework and provision upon which the Appropriation and subsequent approval of fees is done if you go beyond, that’s completely illegality. The necessary action ought to be taken and of course, we will take the necessary action within the framework of the law.

“The Universities are expected to comply so far as GTEC and the Ministry are concerned it is the 15 percent increment fees of last year that the Universities are supposed to charge. And so far we are aware that is what they are charging, but there are institutions that might flout the GTEC directives,” Mr. Kwarteng stated.

“In our nation, everything operates within the bounds of the law, and there is a legal framework that controls when it comes to the collection of fees by different universities and other higher institutions,” he stated.

For instance, the Fees and Charges Act controls such mandates and lays out the methods and processes through which universities may impose fees in the context of public institutions.

He said that universities cannot decide for themselves what to charge students, and that all fees and levies must be approved by Parliament based on the Appropriation.

In the end, everything they must do must comply with the law.

If you look at what the universities first suggested, it was much in excess of the 15%.

However, the wise members of Parliament decided that 15% of the fees from the previous year was fairly fair and acceptable.

Source: Ghanatodayonline.com