NUGS SHARES ITS PERSPECTIVES ON THE 2015 BUDGET AND OTHER RELATED ISSUES IN THE EDUCATIONAL SECTOR

PRESS STATEMENT RELEASED BY THE NATIONAL UNION OF GHANA STUDENTS (NUGS) ON DECEMBER 23, 2014.

The National Union of Ghana Students always meet at various 

stakeholder meetings, on the various campuses, and other venues to discuss and take a collective decisions on pressing issues confronting the educational sector including Government’s annual budgetary allocations to the sector and other matters of concern.

We do so because we are concerned about what

Government plans to do to enhance the capacity of the economy to create jobs. We do so because we care about how much Government intends to spend on Education. We do so because we are very concerned about how such budgets are going to arrest the myriad of challenges confronting the nation's education sector and for that matter how annual budgets can help prepare the young generation for the future.

Indeed, on November 19, 2014, as expected, students across the country listened to the Finance Minister for details on the critical policy initiatives Government was putting

in place for the wellbeing of students and the youth

of our country in 2015.

OUR COMMENDATIONS

NUGS wishes to commend the Government for plans

to build more universities, more community day

Senior High Schools, and the plans towards a gradual implementation of free SHS education in Ghana effective 2015 albeit; for day students to start with. We however, have very serious reservations about the mode of implementation of the programme. We hope and pray that these laudable initiatives

indeed come to fruition.

OUR CONCERNS AND RESERVATIONS

We have observed that most of the targets set for the education sector in the year 2014 were missed. We see this as a worrying phenomenon that has to be checked moving forward. For instance, not a single one of the ten Colleges of Education promised in the 2013 and 2014 budgets has been built. Surprisingly, this pledge is conspicuously missing in the 2015 budget. Is this a tacit admission that

government has abandoned this very pledge because it's no longer a priority? We respectfully demand answers to this major question.

Again, according to the finance minister, "government

has paid feeding subsidy to all public senior high

schools for the 2013/2014 academic year. In 2015,

government will continue to provide subsidy to reduce the burden on parents and students''. However, our independent checks on the ground revealed evidence to the contrary.

As a matter of fact, feeding subventions have always

been in arrears and in some cases, between three to four terms; a development, which continue to militate

against the attainment of quality education especially in the senior high schools found in the three northern

regions because heads of such schools are unable to feed their students amidst government’s consistent failures to release the feeding grants as expected.

Students end up being sent home because the

schools cannot feed them. We find this as most unpardonable and a breach of the confidence that

the young people of Ghana have reposed in our political authorities. 

All in all, NUGS holds the view that the 2015 budget has a lot to do in terms of tackling the fundamental problems that affect education delivery in the country especially at the basic level. Here, mention can be made of issues regarding the non-payment of capitation grants which has remained in arrears for about four (4) terms, there is also the issue of huge arrears owed caterers employed under the school feeding programme, lack of basic teaching and learning like chalks, textbooks, registers and several

others.

Second cycle institutions are also not left out in the

problem spree as they also continue to be

overwhelmed by huge infrastructural deficit as well as issues of non-payment of feeding grants by central government. However, we are afraid that the

2015 budget hasn't given much hope by way of the

required budgetary allocations and other pragmatic steps geared towards the curtailment and reversal of

these worrying trends.

The story is not any different at the tertiary level of education where the problem of infrastructure deficit

is heavily pronounced especially in 'infant

institutions' like the four campuses of the University for Development Studies (UDSs), University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), University of Health and

Allied Sciences (UHAS), as well as the health

institutions and colleges of Education. These

problems are essentially a culmination of

government's consistent failure or laxity to ensure

timely release of subventions to the institutions; coupled with the ailing state of GETFund as a result of

severe budgetary constraints.

No wonder if today you visited some of these

institutions, you would only realize that almost all GETFund projects have completely stalled and in some cases, heads of institutions are left with no option but to surcharge their students in order to realize enough funds to complete such projects.

Unfortunately, the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies that could have offered assistance to some of these institutions in their

respective jurisdictions are also weakened and

incapacitated because the District Assembly

Common Funds which are statutory payments have remained in arrears for almost four (4) quarters as we speak now; yet government seems nonchalant.

THE EASTERN REGIONAL UNIVERSITY AND RELATED MATTERS

In as much as we commend government for the initiative of seeking to provide at least one university

in regions that have none, we nonetheless think that the primary focus ought to be on the availability of adequate structures and necessary funds to make the existing ones more functional and effective.

We think that the establishment of a Public University

should go beyond the laying of a bill in Parliament to be approved into law BUT it should involve deliberate

and rigorous move to put in place the requisite

infrastructure and other facilities to fully feel their

impact and relevance.

For instance, government established two universities through an act of parliament in the year 2011; namely, the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) and the University of Energy and

Natural Resources (UENR) in the Volta and Brong Ahafo Region respectively.

As we speak, none of these universities has seen any major facelift three years down the line. They are continually overwhelmed by the enormity of the

infrastructural and financial constraints bedevilling them. Indeed, in the specific case of UENR, the institution was only lucky to have inherited the facilities of the then KNUST Sunyani campus which was symbolically converted to UENR. Nothing significant has happened since.

Also, the much talked about Volta Regional University (UHAS) is incredibly challenged in terms of infrastructure to the extent that, a cottage built for nurses in the Regional capital is what has been converted to student hostels. How more pathetic could the situation be?

OTHER CONCERNS OR OBSERVATIONS WE HAVE MADE REGARDING THE BUDGET

The Government’s own estimated growth rate for

next year is only 3.9%, which is the lowest in 15 years. What this means is that the economy is less likely to create more jobs next year.

Government's decision to continue the infamous

policy of putting a moratorium on public sector employment is not only anti-social democratic but will also aggravate the unemployment menace in the country; which remains arguably, our number one threat to national development and security.

The biggest worry for graduates and students in the final year is unemployment. The future is unfortunately very bleak. Over 50,000 tertiary graduates are churned out every year onto a future of uncertainties. This year about 76000 National Service persons have been deployed to various institutions. Our simple question is where are they going after August next year if none of them can be retained in

the public sector after their National Service

assignment?

Even as we applaud government's decision to train 4000 unemployed graduates, we wish to ask that the number should be adjusted upwards because even if that is achieved, it will still be woefully inadequate to cater for the total number of graduates who pass out from University of Ghana Business School alone annually.

Lastly, where is the YESFund? How much do we have in the fund and who and who have been able to access the fund? The young people of this country are increasingly becoming uncomfortable with the way our governments are taking us for a ride. It is not the way to treat the country’s future leaders. We respectfully demand answers.  

CONCLUSION

A lot of us may be disillusioned because of the aforementioned issues which appear quite gloomy but it is certainly not too late. We wish to express confidence that government has what it takes to address our legitimate concerns through the necessary

pragmatic measures.

We are not asking for "handouts". We are only asking for the opportunity to study and to get a job to make

a living for ourselves. This is all that the students and

young people of Ghana expect from our

government. We are obviously not asking for too much and therefore we hope and pray that the government and the relevant authorities would hear our cry and

accordingly come to our aid in order to secure our

future.

Long live NUGS

Long live Ghana

Thank you.

Signed:

Rhodalyn Eshun

Press and Information Secretary

0246701359

Prosper Dzitse

President

0546580044/

0501336136

GHANA IS SITTING ON A TIME BOMB

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba, Professor Kwasi Asabere Ameyaw has warned Ghana is sitting on a time bomb following the staggering graduate unemployment rate.

He said the alarming rate of graduate unemployment in the country needs urgent attention to prevent its dire consequences.

“I’m making a passionate appeal to the Ghana government to address the unemployment situation in our country,” Prof. Ameyaw told the John Mahama-led administration at the 19th Congregation of the University at Winneba.

“Every year our institutions of higher learning churn out thousands of graduates who roam our streets without finding jobs,” he noted.

Describing the situation as “explosive”, the University Vice Chancellor said it must be addressed as soon as possible because “it may blow into our faces one day.”

It will be recalled that in April this year, President Mahama urged educational institutions and industries to work together to reduce unemployment in the country. The President said it is important for education institutions to design the appropriate training for students to enable them get jobs after school.

“Industry must let us know the skill set that they require and in which areas of training they require these,” he said at a conference on education in Accra. “I would like to hear suggestion on internships....practical attachments....I would like to hear incentives that we can grant business and industry in order that they can recruit and train fresh graduates.. and on setting up skills databases to which employers can refer when they want to recruit.”

Source: Ghana/StarrFMonline.com/103.5FM

PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES NEED LIGHT FOR EXAM

OHENE YAW ASIEDU, SRC PRESIDENT, Z.U.C. 

A Humble Appeal to the Hon. Deputy Minister of Education, in-charge of Tertiary education, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa

We write in response to commend your frantic effort to come to the Aid of tertiary students in this era of “DUMSO”, so that tertiary students can have uninterrupted power supply during their examination period in this festive season. But in the same direction, we write with tinny spots of hurt and disappointments in us. we belief all men are created equally and therefore deserve equal opportunities, therefore the move that “No DUMSO” in just Public tertiary institutions, not considering the private universities is not complete and unfair therefore a second look should be taken considering the following factors: 

1. Most of the Private universities if not all in the country as at now have no charter of their own and are therefore affiliated to these various public university, that’s, the students in both sectors are subjected to the same standard of assessment, therefore need equal assistance and support to assist them achieve the maximum results possible. 

2. Private universities do not receive any form of utility subsidy or supports from the government, therefore students are made to pay full fees and utility bills of which we have been silent on, understanding some factors that contribute to that, therefore we should also be considered in times of favors such as this. 

3. Private universities have contributed to larger extent to reduce the burden of massification on the public tertiary institutions, and are however contributing to the economic growth of the country; therefore the government has to be considerate in allowing us benefit from such policies which would be a form of motivation. 

However, the cost of running all universities in the country is becoming increasingly high with regards with the state of power supply and the load-shedding exercise and there are high indications that fees are likely to go up in the coming semesters of which private university students will still become the worse affected, adding up to the number of disadvantages that affect private university students. With these few reasons stated above, we think it will be unfair for private universities to be sidelined from this relief granted to only public universities; therefore we appeal that all properly accredited private universities in the country should also be given this kind of relief during our examination period, or at least we should also be taken off the evening blackout schedules to enable prepare enough for our exams. Counting on your benevolence, consideration and your continual support to all tertiary students of the country, we hope our plea would be accepted in good fate.

           (SIGNED)

OHENE YAW ASIEDU 

0243706157

SRC PRESIDENT 

& All SRC EXECUTIVES

 ZENITH UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

Mentoring Scheme Application Form - NUGS WOCOM.

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/nugstoday/819471911445410/

Kindly follow the link above to  download the Form

NUGS UNHAPPY WITH THE HANDLING OF STUDENT AGITATIONS

PRESS RELEASE BY THE NATIONAL UNION OF GHANA STUDENTS (NUGS) ON WEDNESDAY, 3RD DECEMBER 2014.

The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), would like to register its displeasure about how issues of student agitations are handled in recent times especially in some parts of Northern Ghana.

It is very important for us as a country to constantly look at how we handle such dicey issues that keep on recurring every now and then so that we could find an appropriate remedy to forestall future occurrences.   

We remember vividly how students of Ghana Secondary School in Tamale had an encounter with school authorities and the police in 2011. At the end of the day, some students were sacked whereas every other student was surcharged for the damages purportedly caused by them.

Again, a similar incident recently happened at the Wa Islamic Senior High School where some 'agitating students' of the school were severely brutalized by some military personnel in the region who were allegedly hired by the school authorities to visit such cruelty and inexplicable mayhem on them for vehemently protesting against certain 'infamous decisions' on the part of their school authorities.

As if that is not enough, most recently a final year student by name Bawa Emmanuel of the Bolgatanga Senior High School fell and lost his precious life after allegedly being chased together with his colleagues by the senior house master of the school over their refusal to attend early morning assembly on time. 

His avoidable demise is devastatingly unfortunate and NUGS wishes to commiserate with the bereaved family, friends and indeed all sympathizers for such shocking development. 

We are keenly following this matter which is currently being investigated by the CID of the Ghana Police Service and shall advise ourselves accordingly relative to ensuring that substantial justice is served to all concerned.     

The shocking death of Master Bawa Emmanuel resulted in some vehement protestation and disturbances on the part of the students culminating in the abrupt indefinite closure of the school. Per our investigation, there appears to be a frantic effort by the school authorities to put the entire blame at the doorstep of the students while exonerating the teacher from any culpability. 

Well, we want to trust that the CID would do proper investigations to unearth all the facts that will serve the purpose of justice because an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.    

Many of such incidences including issues of religious indoctrination and sectionalism occur in most of the nation's second cycle institutions; some of which have been swept under the carpet while others were treated very lightly.

Our position is that NUGS has always been a friend of constructive engagements and as such holds a strong abhorrence to acts of insubordination and violence as a means of seeking justice or redress for any act of maladministration. It is in this light that NUGS wishes to in unequivocal terms, condemn the violent conduct of the students in the aforesaid examples and call on the relevant law enforcement authorities to subject any student found culpable to the full rigours of the law.

It is however very instructive to note that, in all of these, what is palpably missing is the voice of the students who ultimately bear the brunt of such mishaps. As a body mandated to "fight" for the interest of Ghanaian students, we would like to say that these recent worrying happenings in some of our Senior High Schools in the country with specific emphasis on some schools in the three regions of the north is a vindication of our position and also brings to the fore, our long held stance that we must have Regional Students' Representative Councils (RSRC) in such regions in order to help readily address issues of this nature as and when they occur and provide students with the much needed voice as the law of natural justice demands.  

It is therefore against this backdrop that NUGS  wishes to make a passionate appeal to all stakeholders especially  the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service, Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) to support our innocuous efforts in establishing such Regional Students' Representative Councils in Regions that have none while strengthening existing ones to make them more fortified in championing the interest of their constituents pursuance to our constitutional regime.

In conclusion, we wish to implore the students of Ghana to keep maximum restraints in the face of provocations or perceived acts of injustices and follow laid down procedures for seeking redress. NUGS shall always be there to ensure maximum protection of their welfare so that they would enjoy the full benefits of their fundamental educational rights and freedoms as enshrined in our constitution.  

Thank you.

Aluta Continua! Victoria Ascerta!!

Signed: 

Rhodalyn Eshun

Press and Information Secretary

0246701359

Prosper Dzitse

President

0546580044

UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION OF GHANA 2014/2015 SO FAR - NOVEMBER IN RETROSPECT

BREAKING THE SILENCE:

Good day Honourables.

Since taking office as national executive officers of the University Students' Association of Ghana, our efforts have been geared towards the rehabilitation of the association's image after the awful events of the last congress. Having witnessed the errors of the old ways, we would be insane to repeat the errors in expectation of far superior results. We are starting afresh. 

Our first task was to secure the release of the souvenirs. The better part of the 17th to 21st November, 2014 was spent on this, particularly at the Dansoman Police Station. Consequently, all other things being equal, at our first senate, the souvenirs shall be given out to the rightful institutions. 

Office space has been secured through the National Union of Ghana Students at their Accra City Campus premises, awaiting renovation. Soon, locating USAG officially will be easy.

We also took the time to pay courtesy calls, foremost amongst them, to the Minister of Communication and Information and the Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Tertiary Education. They both pledged their support for the association. The call on the Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa should be of particular interest. The foremost subject was in regard of the power outages as we head towards the examination period. He outrightly ordered a letter to be sent to the minister of energy for a meeting. The subject matter is how to favour university campuses during this examination period, particularly within 3rd December, 2014  and 3rd January 2015. Also discussed were the refurbishment of the USAG Office and the procurement of a vehicle to aid the work of the association. The response so far has been largely positive. 

The Center for Capacity Development and USAG intend partner to develop the capacity of student leaders especially in the international relations and diplomacy through the Ghana International Model United Nations Conference. All is set for the programme. Invitation letters will follow soon.

We continue to hold fast to the principle to 'Work silently and let our success make the noise'.

Signed

Abubakar Adams

Coordinating Secretary

(050 308 2596 / 055 412 482)

Derrick Osei-Poku

President

(054 9660 806)