GUPS WEEK CELEBRATION 2014

Monday 10th March (Day 1)
Official Launch
Venue is GIJ and Time is 10 am
Chairman : Prof. Joshua Alabi
speakers: Fmr. President Rawlings and Hon. Ras Mubarak.

Tuesday 11th March (Day 2)
An Entrepreneurial Seminar
At 2pm and Venue is UPSA.
Chairman is Hon. Elvis Afriyie.
Facilitators are Mike Nyinaku of Beige Capital and Doctor Addo the CEO of KAMA Group of Companies.

Wednesday 12th March (Day 3)
Institutional Debate
At 2pm and venue is Zenith University College.
JUDGES are Mr. Franklin Cudjoe of IMANI Ghana, Mr. Annis Hafer of GATE and Mr. Manasseh Azure of Joy FM.

Thursday 13th March (Day 4)
Professional Women's Day
A talk on Ichthyosis.Theme: Creating awareness and reducing da stigma of Ichtyosis: the role of the professional woman.
Venue is Best Western Premier Accra Airport Hotel.
Speaker is Dr. Delle from Rabito Clinic.

Friday 14th March (Day 5)
Professional Games Day
Time is 9am and venue is UPSA.

Saturday 15 March (Day 6)
Pool and Beach party and games
 Venue is Lloyds beach resort.

Sunday 16th March (Day 7)
Thanks giving.
Venue is the PEREZ CHAPEL.

Signed
Secretary  of GUPS week Celebration Committee.
Israel Agbleta

Chairman
Prince Nkpentey

PRESIDENT MAHAMA CUTS SOD FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS

His Excellency President John D. Manama yesterday performed a joint sod cutting ceremony to commence the construction of 50 Community Day Senior High Schools in Ghana. The event which happened at Nyanoa in the Eastern region is in fulfillment of the Governments policy to build 200 community day senior high schools in Ghana.


it is expected that by August 15, 2015, the first set of these schools will be handed over to the Government of Ghana and this,Government believes will improve on the accessibility prospects of senior high schools in Ghana.

These schools are primarily going to be located at Districts where there are no senior high schools and the architectural planning has been done in such a way as will make future expansionary works possible.

Not only is government advising the contractors use local materials for the construction but also the contracts have all been given to local contractors


(P.D. Orchill)

UG to block all access routes
to the public
The University of Ghana will close all access
routes into its campus to the public with the
exception of the entrance from the Okponglo
intersection.
According to the University, “it cannot support
academic work with the needed environment
when 16,000 vehicles travel through its Legon
campus every day, creating significant
congestion at crucial times as well as posing
safety and security challenges for members of
the university community, especially our
students.’’
A statement signed by the Registrar of the
University indicated that the new directive will
take effective from 15th March 2014.
The statement explained that “the Stadium Road
entrance [Okponglo intersection] to the University
is, for the time being, designated the main
entrance to the University. It will remain open 24
hours a day to the general public. Members of
the general public seeking to enter the University
campus for any reason are advised to use this
entry point.’’
‘’All other entry points, including the one at the
Link Gate on the road from Achimota and on the
Annie Jiagge Road Extension from Haatso, will
not open to the general public. They will,
however, open for persons who have been pre-
approved by University Management. Typically
persons who have been pre-approved will be
provided with a “UG Sticker” to display on their
vehicle windscreen. Vehicles with a “UG Sticker”
may enter and exit the campus from any of the
designated points,’’ the statement further added.
The University also stated that it is taking ‘’steps
to work with Government to provide appropriate
alternative routes for the use of motorists who
have no legitimate business on the campus.’’
Below is the full statement signed by the
Registrar of the University of Ghana, Mercy
Haizel-Ashia
STATEMENT ON PUBLIC ACCESS TO LEGON
CAMPUS
Preamble
The University of Ghana is committed to
improving and protecting its facilities and
physical assets as part of a larger programme to
enhance the quality of its products. The object is
to re-establish and maintain a serene
atmosphere that is conducive to academic work,
including teaching and research. The University
cannot support academic work with the needed
environment when 16,000 vehicles travel through
its Legon campus every day, creating significant
congestion at crucial times as well as posing
safety and security challenges for members of
the university community, especially our
students.
Mindful, however, of the inconvenience
restrictions on the use of campus roads may
impose on neighbouring communities, the
University has taken steps to work with
Government to provide appropriate alternative
routes for the use of motorists who have no
legitimate business on the campus. University of
Ghana is taking steps to enforce already existing
restrictions in the use of its roads as public
thoroughfare. It is important to note that
University of Ghana has always been and
remains private property even though it is
publicly owned.
The general public is hereby advised to take note
of the following directives on access to Legon
Campus, with effect from 5.00 a.m. on Saturday,
15th March 2014.
Directives on Access
1. The Stadium Road entrance (Okponglo
Junction) to the University is, for the time being,
designated the main entrance to the University.
It will remain open 24 hours a day to the general
public. Members of the general public seeking to
enter the University campus for any reason are
advised to use this entry point.
2. Vehicles entering the University by the
Stadium Road will be required to exit the campus
by the same road.
3. All other entry points, including the one at
the Link Gate on the road from Achimota and on
the Annie Jiagge Road Extension from Haatso,
will not open to the general public. They will,
however, open for persons who have been pre-
approved by University Management. Typically
persons who have been pre-approved will be
provided with a “UG Sticker” to display on their
vehicle windscreen. Vehicles with a “UG Sticker”
may enter and exit the campus from any of the
designated points.
4. Mem

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED ON MONDAY, 24TH FEBRUARY, 2014 BY THE NATIONAL UNION OF GHANA STUDENTS (NUGS) ON THE EXPECTATIONS OF GHANANIAN STUDENTS IN THE IMPENDING STATE OF THE NATIONS ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT JOHN MAHAMA

In barely less than 24 hour time, the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency President John Mahama shall be addressing the entire nation through our representatives in Parliament pursuant constitutional provisions and conventional norms. Many political watchers and analysts have predicted that the president’s address would cover wide range of issues affecting almost every facet of national life including the current severe economic crisis, water and energy crisis, as well as issues confronting the health and education sectors. He is also expected to announce plans that his government intends to roll out in the short, medium to long term with the view to resolving these crisis and meeting the legitimate demands of the citizenry. 

As expected, many Ghanaians and indeed industry players have expressed their views on what they expect the president to touch on relating to their areas of jurisdictions. It is against this backdrop that on behalf of Ghanaian students, the leadership of the National Union of Ghana Students wishes to bring to the attention of the President and for that matter Ghanaians in general; some of the nagging issues of concern to students which require immediate attention. Among other things, the Union expects the president to give further and better particulars with respect to how his government intends to execute his government’s promise to establish a public university in the Eastern Region and the progress of work made so far if any.

Ghanaian students are also expecting the president to announce progress that his government has made so far with respect to fulfilling one of his campaign promise of constructing 50 Senior High Schools each year; a promise which he re-echoed in his recent media encounter with senior journalists on the occasion of his one year anniversary. Having being in power for more than a year now, the nation is yet to see a single school constructed in fulfilment of this promise; a development which has culminated in high level of cynicisms about its viability. 

We are also anxiously awaiting the president to make a bold statement in his address on the purported imminent withdraw of government’s subventions to public universities in view of the obvious economic challenges we are in. Well, we hope that this infamous reportage is not factually exact because it has the propensity to aggravate the plight of tertiary students who are already overburdened with exorbitant cost of tertiary education in the country. It is our humble expectation that the president sets the records straight on the issue. 

It is also our humble expectation that the president includes in his address, the much talked about Youth Enterprise Development Fund where a promise of GHC 10million was made as seed capital for the project in his previous state of the nations address. Last but not least, we also expect more lights to be thrown on his party’s promise to embark on rigorous infrastructural development at the basic level of education to overcome the issue of access at that level. This pledge was given by the NDC as a substitute to the free SHS policy propounded by the NPP in the run-up to the 2012 polls. Again, it is regrettably worth noting that not much has been seen in this regard. 

In conclusion, it is the Union’s fervent hope and anticipation that the president would indeed avert his mind to these nagging issues we have raised above and address them accordingly for the good of all. 

...........Signed .......

Sammy Binfoh Darkwah

Presidents (NUGS)

Raymond Kwojori Ayilu

Press and Information Secretary (NUGS)

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED ON MONDAY, 14TH JANUARY, 2014 BY THE NATIONAL UNION OF GHANA STUDENTS (NUGS) ON THE PLIGHT OF SECOND CYCLE STUDENTS IN THE THREE NORTHERN REGIONS

The role education plays in the structural transformation of the prospects of any country and for that matter Ghana cannot be overemphasized. It remains the most powerful tool that can change the world as observed by the Great Nelson Mandela of blessed memory, the former President of South Africa. It is therefore not surprising that successive governments in the history of Ghana have made some conscious efforts to prioritize education and inject significant amount of attention, resources and time in order to help in the realization of the national aims and aspiration in the area of education. 

That notwithstanding, recent issues and worrying happenings emanating from the Ghanaian education sector together with their concomitant effects on the ordinary Ghanaian student give a lot of reasons for concern. Of late, the Ghanaian media landscape is overwhelmed with negative reportages about problems bedevilling the education sector; which range from lack of basic teaching and learning materials like teachers’ notebooks, chalks, textbooks etc, to issues of industrial unrests, to issues of the infamous withdrawal of trainee allowance, to that of astronomical hikes in school fees among several others. The most current one has to do with the plight of our brothers and sisters who are schooling in the three regions of the north; precisely students at the second cycle institutions. 

Surprisingly, this is a country where we make a lot of ‘noise’ about bridging the yawning gap between the north and the southern part of the country. This belief is what has culminated in the institutionalization of some conscious policies and programmes like the Northern Scholarship Scheme, Northern Development Fund, the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) by successive governments in order to help in the realization of this goal and for that matter to help in narrowing the developmental gap between the north and the south. Education is undoubtedly, the finest instrument that can be used to accelerate the development of the northern sector by way of human resource development that would automatically translate in the holistic development of the north. 

The National Union of Ghana Students has observed with great disquiet over the period that government appears to have shirked its primary responsibility to seriously meet the educational needs of northern students who are relatively ‘less privilege’ than their counterparts in the south. As we speak, public second cycle institutions countrywide are supposed to resume from the Christmas cum New Year holidays on Monday, 13th January, 2014 to begin the second term of the academic 2013/2014 academic year except for secondary schools in the three northern regions, who still do not know when they would be reopening.

This is because the school authorities cannot cater for their feeding expenses any longer because government hasn’t provided them with the feeding subvention or grants with which remains in arrears for the past two terms as reported by the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) to enable them meet their liabilities. They contend that their creditors and suppliers of foodstuff have been pursuing them for their monies and some even threaten them with legal suit to claim what is legitimately due them. How more disgusting could the situation be?

It is no more news worthy nowadays to hear of this problem in the Ghanaian educational milieu; because it happens almost every term when schools are about to resume. Whilst the northern student is compelled to remain in the house as a result of government’s failure to release feeding subvention, his/her counterpart in the south and well endowed schools is enjoying the luxury of uninterrupted academic season; yet they are all expected to write the same exams and marked with the same marking scheme. How do we expect them to pass as their southern colleagues?

Do we really care about the future of these students in view of the fact that government and those who matter are doing very little or nothing at all to nib this canker in the bad? For how long would the innocent and ordinary Ghanaian student continue to bear of brunt from the inactions of those who should have known better and acted? For how long are we going to sit aloof amidst all these injustices in our system? Interestingly, we are the very people who are quick to blame the students in case they perform abysmally in their exams.

On behalf of the students concerned and their parents or guardians, NUGS wishes to make a passionate appeal to the government which purports to be a listening and caring one, to as a matter of urgency, release the feeding subvention to the affected schools, which currently stand at 83 second cycle schools with a little over 89, 000 students by our checks so that the students could get back to school as early as possible thereby forestalling academic discipline in this regard. 

In conclusion, NUGS wishes to state categorically and without any shred of equivocation that beyond this appeal, we are also giving the government a week ultimatum to respond to our legitimate request with alacrity; else we would be reluctantly but justifiably compelled to advise ourselves accordingly. The students of this country have been taken for granted for so long yet continue to exercise ample restraint. We are sorry to let the authorities know that we are now gradually running out of patience and might soon be forced to unleash our wrath within the confines of the law so that our concerns would receive the appropriate attention and redress. 

Long live the Ghanaian student and mother Ghana at large. 

........Signed......

PRESS AND INFORMATION SECRETARY

RAYMOND AYILU KWOJORI.

(0240383605)

ALUTA CONTINUA!!! VICTORIA ASCERTA!!! 

CC

ALL MEDIA HOUSES.

Education Ministry not sure how funding for ‘Free SHS’ will be raised

ON 28 FEBRUARY 2014.
After President John
Dramani Mahama
announced that
secondary education will
be progressively free
from the 2015/2016
academic year, the
debate on the subject
has turned to where
funding for the policy
will come from.
President Mahama announced an initial subvention of GH¢71 million for
day students.
“Under the guidance of this proposed road map, we can anticipate that
fees for day students will be abolished at an estimated cost of GH¢71
million in the 2015/2016 academic year,” President Mahama mentioned in
Parliament on Tuesday, February 25.
“Other reliefs in respect of boarding student would be announced when
the road map is published,” he indicated.
But the Minister of Education, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang,
has told TV3 that she is not sure where funding will come from though
government will go ahead with implementation of the decision.
“When you decide something is important enough, then you have to find
the money for it,” she told TV3’s Daniel Lartey.
“I am not sure in practical ways how that funding is going to be raised.
But first you need to sell the idea then you cost it and then you move on
to find the money.”
Decision-makers confused
Educationist Anis Haffar fears the promises over education by politicians
are “a bit too much”.
“I think the people who are supposed to make these decisions are
themselves confused,” Mr Haffar said.
He was of the view that the decision-makers need to come to terms with
what the 21st century education requirements are.
“It is not all about sitting behind the desk. Where is the qualitative
component that will make us confident that after a young Ghanaian boy
or girl has left our institutions, they are functional for themselves and
their communities?”
Source: tv3network.com|Ghana

NUGS BRIEF !!!! NUGS BRIEF !!!!!

 On Thursday 13th Feb 2014, a delegation of National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) Executives paid a curtsey call on the Computer Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) to discuss the issue of extortion of BECE candadites. A resolution on the need to stop the use of buying cards to access placement of schools was agreed on. Further meetings are expected to conclude on a solid agreement.

Binfoh Administration: Transparent Governance.

....signed....
Press and Information Secretary
(NUGS)