Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, says government intervention in the recent University of Ghana (UG) fee hikes was driven by widespread anger from students and parents, which, he noted, could not be ignored.
He explained that the Ministry of Education directed the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to step in and suspend the controversial increases in the interest of the public.
According to him, the decision followed mounting complaints over reports of a 25 per cent increase in academic fees at the university.
“Over the weekend, the Minister instructed me to get in touch with GTEC to understand the 25 per cent increment in academic fees,” Dr. Apaak said.
He added that the ministry subsequently took note of a public explanation by the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, which attributed the increases to adjustments by third-party service providers.
“We became aware that the University of Ghana had made a public statement through its Pro VC that the increases were as a result of third-party increases,” he noted.
Dr. Apaak said the Ministry also considered explanations from the University of Ghana Students’ Representative Council (UGSRC), which attempted to justify parts of the fee adjustments. However, he stressed that explanations alone were not sufficient, as the legal framework governing fees remained a key concern.
“Given that we work with laws and there are processes and procedures, and the fact that Parliament had not granted an increase through the Fees and Charges Act, we thought that the best thing was to instruct GTEC to call the university to stay any increase,” he explained.
He emphasised that the intensity of public reaction played a critical role in the government’s response.
“The level of public outcry from students and parents was such that we couldn’t have ignored it,” Dr. Apaak stressed.
As a result, he disclosed that the Minister for Education has tasked him to lead engagements among all affected stakeholders to find a lasting solution.
“The Minister has assigned me to work with the University of Ghana, the student leaders and GTEC for us to look at something that will be acceptable,” he said, adding that dialogue remains the preferred approach.
Earlier on the programme, the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Gordon Akanzuwine Awandare, maintained that the increases were not management-imposed academic fees but charges initiated by third parties and approved by student leadership.
“What is in the report is about third-party fees which were imposed by the student leadership,” Prof. Awandare said, explaining that both the SRC and GRASSAG relied on their internal governance structures to approve the charges.
Despite these explanations, Dr. Apaak’s comments underscore government’s resolve to halt the fee increases for now and pursue a resolution that balances legal requirements with public concerns.
By Daniel Opoku
