The University of Ghana, Legon, Registrar Teddy Konu has taken student protestors to task, saying the lack of leadership from the Students Representative Council "was pathetic."

"Why have they not issued a statement denouncing the recent student activity?" he asked.

Meanwhile the authorities of the University of Cape Coast are keen to avoid the drama of Legon's escalating student protests. They have warned students there to be cautious of the influence of misguided and unscrupulous elements within their midst pretending to be championing their cause.

On Friday, Commonwealth Hall residents faced off with police, while on Saturday three students were arrested on suspicion they could be part of a group that spread human faeces in examination halls.
"There are real problems at this university," the frustrated Registrar said, "but I find myself spending time dealing with this sort of foolishness".

Konu said he was "very surprised" by the students' response to the controversial 'In-out-out-out' accommodation policy, which will serve to primarily limit campus beds to Level 100 (first year) students only.

There are about 8,400 total beds available on the Legon campus. First year students take up about 5,000 beds, leaving about 3,400 beds to be shared by lottery among 23,000 other students.

Indeed some 4,000 new rooms are expected to be ready when the new school year starts in August. The school also has announced plans to add an additional 6,000 rooms in "the medium term," although when students can expect that medium term to come is unclear. "I can't define the medium term," says a senior administrator, Stella Amoa.

Meanwhile the 4,000 rooms currently being built on the campus' northern end are part of an expansion of the Ghana Hostels network. Those rooms run between 6m cedis and 12m cedis apiece. That's up to twelve times what a student pays to live in one of the five traditional halls of residence.

The reality is, with population growing far faster than the construction of residential blocks, there is no choice but to exercise some form of discriminatory policy where access to campus accommodation is concerned.

“All other public universities (in Ghana) have this ‘In-out-out-out”, said Konu, before adding the policy was also common internationally as well. Konu however said his frustrations were not directed at al students. “This is just a vocal few (protesting)” he said. “This is not a mass thing I promise you; the large majority see the reason of the policy.

But, the Registrar had little sympathy for Level 300 students who found out just days ago they may no longer have a place on campus for their final year.

"Match the short notice to the inconvenience of a freshman now having to look for accommodation for the first time," Konu remarked.

"Very often Level 100 students come into the University very frustrated," adds University Public Affairs Directorate official Stella Amoa.

Amoa also says that when Level 100 students do gain residence, lack of space in the crowded halls can make it difficult for them to find their equilibrium at the University.

She also takes issue with the claim that since Level 100 marks don't count towards a student's final grade point average, the Level l00s’ wellbeing is less important than that of senior students.

"That's not true," she says. "If you are not able to get the required grade-point average you cannot progress to Level 200. Is that not important?"

However, some senior students say the fact that a Level 100 student only needs to achieve a 40 percent average to advance through to Level 200 is further evidence of the relative unimportance of the year. And they say, compared to senior students, 'freshers' are unlikely to help fellow students who are struggling to find a place to live.

But for Konu this "help" is a big part of the problem. "The facilities in the halls are suffering," he says, warning "there is a disastrous epidemic waiting to happen."

Certainly many of the school's residential halls are playing host to more students than intended; it is not uncommon to see five or six students living in rooms meant for two. Konu says this situation not only puts a strain on the facilities - he says water flow is noticeably affected – and maintains the environment isn't good for the students academically either.

The Registrar also waved away suggestions Level 300 students might struggle to find places to live. "Big deal" he says, "Look, if we had enough accommodation we would gladly give it to every student who needs it, but the reality is we do not."


Credit: The Statesman