Thousands of students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have been deferred after allegedly using their fees for sports betting and other activities.
According to Ghanaweb, the Public Relations Officer of the Ghanaian school, Dr. Daniel Norris Bekoe said the decision has become necessary owing to some findings made by the management.
He noted that the students among other things have invested their fees in ventures as online betting, buying vehicles for online hailing services and bakery amongst others.
“The problem we have now is that, a number of students are playing games with the University. For example, they use their school fees to buy cars for Uber, others are using it to set up bakeries, and others are also using it for betting, and we have evidence.”
“Some parents have even sent us audio where students have received the fees but have refused to pay or simply trading with the money,” he said. Ahead of the school’s end of semester exams, management of KNUST notified some affected students of a decision to defer their courses.
“Dear student, your programme has been deferred as you have not met the minimum requirement of the KNUST fees Credit and Debt Management Policy. Thank you,” a copy of a message sent to the affected students by the management said.
Meanwhile, member of parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has described as the decision by the management of KNUST as inconsiderate.
“The decision by KNUST authorities to defer the courses of some 6,000 students for non-payment of fees is most harsh and inconsiderate considering the current economic crisis,” he stated in a Facebook post, whilst appealing to government and the ministry of education to intervene in the matter.
