Many students of the University of Cape Coast expressed serious concern on the break-down of fees they are expected to pay for the 2013/2014 Academic Year since itz release. Many believe that the university has unfairly increased the fees without any justification. In response to the grievances, the UCC SRC President, Mr. David Boakye has issued the statement below: Fellow students, I believe that fulfilling my promise by making known the break-down of our school fees was never an invitation to wage war on myself and my administration. I take in good faith many of the commentary that came from my fellow students after I had made the effort to fulfil this promise as soon as practicable, in short, many of you have expressed your genuine concerns and frustrations, which are in the right direction.
But we want to assure you, we have never been silent on the concerns, we have followed the debate keenly from last Saturday and we thank you for your activeness and objective contributions. The assurance is that the amount will not be reduced, but we can assure you we are going to have value for our money. The main reason for making this document available was for us students to demand for what we have paid for. Now let’s get down to the fees.
1. Contribution to Health care: we are paying GHC 60.00 which includes National Health Insurance renewal of the medium level rate of GHC 35.00, GHC 20.00 for all ailments that are not covered under the scheme and GHC 5.00 for hospital maintenance which has existed since the inception of the NHIS.
2. ICT user fee: the bandwidth of the University is going to be increased from the current 55Mbps to about 155Mbps; work is still on going on the project. This is increasing the visibility of U.C.C. in the world universities from 94 to 54 by the commencement of the next academic year and students are going to enjoy the WIFI at all corners of the university latest by 2014.
3. Campus radio levy: this levy has being agreed on by the 2009/2010 academic SRC and each student is to pay GHC21.00 which has being divided into three @ GHC 7.00 for three academic years. This is the third year for the first batch, that is the would be 400’s. The Voice Administration can assure you that we are signing serious MOU with effective clauses which binds the contractor to complete the building before the end of next academic year for the station to move there or be closed by NCA. We will ensure value for money; it is a must for the station to exist.
4. Sports levy: The sports levy was agreed on from last academic year (2012/2013) from GHC15.00 to GHC 40.00 which is to run for four academic years to put up a standard sports complex to host the GUSA Games in January 2014, which will revert after the agreed period.
5. UCC @50 levy: The 2011/2012 agreed for a fee of GHC10.00 which was to be divided for two academic years, that is why you still find it on our bill.
6. Students’ development Levy of GHC 50.00, not a PESEWA comes to the SRC account; it is transferred directly to Prudential Bank to defray the loan for the SRC hostel which now stands at 120 billion old cedis. So you can imagine our headache.
The SRC of 2013/2014 academic year wants to assure you that we just need your support, prayers and constructive criticism as you are doing. We will be there for you, but note that most of the fees were negotiated from a higher level to what you see now and the figures and percentages are available for you to come and see for yourselves when school re-opens.
We are seeing some comparison between us and other institutions, mostly KNUST and UG, but do not forget that unlike theirs, ours no other fee is paid because our fees include departmental charges, SRC/LNUGS bill, etc they will pay these separately from their fees that you are seeing.
Remember UG is starting school feeding (Dinning) next academic year which can never happen in UCC. Let’s cherish the good we have, the days of WAR!! WAR!! Are over, dialogue is the best way always. We are prepared to explain everything to our people; we do not have anything to hide from you, who by good will put us here.
Let’s assure you that your comments since last Saturday made great strides in our meeting with the university management chaired by the Vice Chancellor this morning and we are sure to see massive changes in the system when we return.
Keep it up, but in decorum. Thank you very much.
You’re Servant
David Boakye
SRC President.
0243706921
