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The Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, has written to the Speaker of the House, Alban Bagbin, requesting that a motion be presented for the House to suspend the Instrument of Fees and Miscellaneous Provisions, 2019 (LI 2386) by 2021. year academic.
He said the country’s economic conditions at the time parliament approved the tariffs had changed in light of the devastation to family income brought on by COVID-19 and other factors.
“Parliament and the president will obviously not insist on these fees in light of the prevailing economic circumstances. The essential components of public institutions of higher education can function without many of the fees and charges required of students in LI 2386. “
“Student scholarships will only be activated to support students only after they have been able to pay the admission fees and have entered colleges,” he noted.
The 2019 Miscellaneous Fees and Provisions Instrument (LI 2386), which was approved by Parliament in 2019, establishes the different fees and charges that students of public higher education institutions must pay.
Ayariga’s request
Ayariga, in his letter, asks the Chamber to request the president to take urgent measures to suspend the payment of admission fees for new entrants to public tertiary institutions and students who continue in those institutions for the 2021 academic year.
In the letter dated January 15, 2020, Ayariga said that the suspension of the rates should be part of the national COVID-19 aid programs that the government is implementing.
He said the urgency of the matter was dictated by the fact that public institutions of higher education were reopening and students who had been offered admission were being asked to make payments before being admitted and would lose the opportunity if they did not pay.
He pointed out that continuing students also had to pay their fees now.
Lost jobs
Ayariga said the issue was important to the public because many people had lost their jobs due to the economic consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak, which required the government to provide subsidies on the supply of water and electricity.
“The hospitality sector has been greatly affected. Private school workers in the education sector have not earned an income in about a year. Border cities like Bawku have suffered economically from restrictions on cross-border movement and trade, ”he said.
He said most parents and students have not been able to work to save funds to pay for fees.
He noted that remittances from abroad have been drastically reduced, and the crisis in the banking sector has led to the loss of many jobs.
Background
After nine months of forced closures by COVID-19, President Akufo Addo, in his 21st address to the country on updates and measures taken against COVID-19, announced that schools were reopening for classes.
Kindergarten, primary and secondary institutions resumed on January 15, 2021, while secondary institutions were expected to start classes from March 10, 2021.
Tertiary institutions also resumed on January 9, 2021.
In the midst of the pandemic, the president assured parents that their wards would be safe as all COVID-19 security protocols would be observed.
It also ordered the Ministry of Education to ensure that all schools were fumigated before reopening.
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