Legon Distance Education Students Kick Against Relocation

The Legon Campus Chapter of the Students Representative Council (SRC) of the University of Ghana Distance Education Programme has protested the decision of the university authorities to relocate them to the Accra City Campus in Adabraka to continue their lectures and described the move as unfavourable.

The students argued that commuting regularly to and from the Legon Campus to the Accra City Campus would drain them financially.

Another major problem the students stressed was inadequate infrastructure at the City Campus to cater for them, since their membership had increased.

Members of the chapter expressed these concerns at a press conference in Accra.

Purpose of the conference

The conference was organised to express the students’ grievances and frustration at the manner the distance education programmes were being managed by the Institute of Continuing and Distance Education (ICDE) unit of the university.

Addressing the conference, the acting President of the SRC, Mr Nathaniel Delali Adjabeng, observed that the government adopted the distance education programme as a positive step to enhance access to university education and, therefore, called on the university authorities, as a matter of urgency, to rescind their decision in order not to deny students the opportunity to advance their academic career.

ICDE disappointment

Registering their disappointment, Mr Adjabeng stated that if they had been informed about the current development before they were offered admission to the university, they would have advised themselves. They, therefore, appealed to the government to take interest in the issue and help package distance education to meet the needs of the students.

The chapter is also appealing to the institute to reconsider its decision and allow the continuing students to continue their academic work on the Legon Campus. They also appealed to the school authorities to provide their course materials on time.

Source: Daily Graphic