Management of the Academic Board of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), have reportedly deferred over 6,000 students due to non-payment of school fees.
It is reported that the students in question, representing about 8% of the 85,256 students population of the institution were asked to go home and return the next academic year due to delays in payment of their fees.
This follows after the affected students failed to meet the requirement to settle their arrears from March 21 to April 11, 2022.
However, some students started receiving messages from the university’s administration on Tuesday afternoon that they have been deferred due to their inability to meet the minimum requirements of KNUST fees Credit and Debt Management Policy.
Speaking to Graphic Online on Wednesday, April 20, 2022, the University Relations Officer of KNUST, Dr. Daniel Norris Bekoe, explained that the university was aware some of the affected students have invested their fees in many businesses including online hailing taxi services and were yet to recoup the investment and make payment.
“Recently, a pastor even called after hearing of the deadline to confirm whether a particular student [church member] has made payment, but a check indicated that he has squandered the money” the URO told Graphic Online.
He added that the severity of the problem was such that a number of students also use their fees to engage in online betting especially on the English Premier League (EPL), and most of them have run at a loss.
“The rules of the university are clear and they can only make a return next academic year if they are able to honour their obligation,” he noted as quoted by Graphic Online.
