I was admitted into the University of Ghana on the 29th day of August 2016 to offer a Bachelor of Art in Political Science, English and Arabic. It’s been a major dream come true because from my days at the Junior High School through to the Senior High School, the only University I have ever thought of attending, has been the premier University, the best University in Ghana, the best in West Africa and the 7th best in Africa. It’s a dream I’m living today.
But of all the joy I’ve had in getting admitted, there seem to be a hard blow being dealt to me by the numerous payments of money that needs to be effected. Fortunately or unfortunately for me, I was admitted as Full Fee Paying Student which means that unlike all other regulate students, my fees won’t be subsidized by the government. So a single mother is struggling to pay GH₵ 3,800.00 as my academic user fee and also having to pay for GH₵ 812.00 as Residential Fees for me to lodge at unarguably the best Hall in any university in Ghana; Commonwealth Hall.
Truth be told, we are really struggling to pay all these. We’ve made 70% payment to allow me start my academic journey and pay the rest later. But it seems to me as though there is a system in place, although legal, that seeks to terminate the education journey of people like myself (I know I’m not in this alone) who seeks to make steps on the academic ladder.
What is this although legal practice that seeks to cripple me and my academic journey; the wanting and penchant proliferation of money payment everywhere step you make on campus.
I recently received a message from the University to the effect that I should pay 100 Ghana cedis into the Student Fee Collection Account as Generator Purchasing Fee. Jesus! Has this not been paid by the current students? Were continuing students not billed to pay for these electricity generating plants? In fact from the few Facebook posts I’ve read and the few radio engagements on Radio Univers suggest clearly that these plants have been bought for almost all halls and these generators are sitting like gods, not even used when the lights go out.
So what again are we paying for? Does management want to purchase 3 to 4 plants for every Hall? What for? That’s not all, we are also paying for generator fuel fees which is a bit understandable. JCR dues is also understandable just that I glean that it has skyrocketed over the past few year and keep rising with the passing of moments.
But my biggest bone of contention is the payment of departmental dues. There’s no wrong in paying departmental dues but where its made in an entrenched way, it becomes a nuisance. I wanted to go and write my name and select a group, day and time for lectures that fit my schedule at my various departments (Political Science, English and Arabic) but to my shock, I was ask to pay departmental dues, some well in excess of 50 cedis before I could select a group day and time and write my name.
God! Won’t I be allowed to do this even after paying my academic fees? It beats my understanding. I made a few contacts to some SRC committee heads who said that I could still go for lectures without those but it seems as though the reality of the ground is not so.
Let me not bore you with much, the point is, the Dean Of Students Affairs and management must make sure that such petty fee payment, albeit legal does not impede the rights of students on campus. I’ve paid so much money that I’m empty now looking at family conditions.
These must be stamped out before we make education the preserve of only the rich where some of us can’t afford.
Written by Asante Bismark, a level 100 political science student of University of Ghana, Legon.