Students in private rented accommodation at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology(KNUST), have been encountering difficulties with the exorbitant hostel fees charged by private hostel owners.
Some students of the University who spoke to Thriller News GH about the situation said students were reeling under the ruthless hostel fee increments being charged by hostel managers every semester especially the fee increments for the next academic year amidst the covid-19 pandemic.
“Accommodation challenges in KNUST have been an annual ritual, yet the SRC and other stakeholders of the university do not pay attention to it, let alone to think of solutions to this problem especially in this time of emergency”, a student complained.
The best academic motivation for any student anywhere is to have suitable accommodation facilities with conducive environment to facilitate learning. Hence, Thriller News GH responded to the call of students to investigate the situation at hand and get the various stakeholders aware of the crisis.
In an interview with some students of the University, they accused Hostel Managers operating within the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology vicinity of taking advantage of the students challenges in securing accommodation to charge astronomical prices and increase existing hostel fees illogically.
A second year History Student complained “I paid 3000 Ghana cedis for two in a room hostel accommodation but as at now, the hostel manager has increased the price for next academic year which is 3500 Ghana cedis, that is 500ghc increase which is so abnormal”. He added that the hostels weren’t also ready to deliver on all the facilities they promised students on paying for the rooms.
The surprising thing is that, most of the hostels that charge exorbitant prices don’t meet the requirements as expected of them, Most of them are taking advantage of the dire need of accommodation and its unfortunate that it seems the school is not bothered about this increment,A student bemoaned.
Another aggrieved level 300 student said the fees charged by the hostels threatened his ability to source funding from his parents to pay his school fees and he is more scared about the his fate in this covid-19 period when school officially resumes.
I am not the only one being fended for by my parents. I have other siblings and if I am suppose to take a Four thousand and five hundred Ghana cedis just for my accommodation, how can I get some money for fees and how can my parents meet the needs of my other siblings? He inquired with frustration.
Enock, A second year mechanical engineering student told our Journalist, Edna Diamon in an interview that; “I want to know if it is the sole responsibility of the school administration to provide hostels for students to live in? If it is the responsibility of the school and government, then I want to say that we are not being treated fairly, as compared to other Universities.
Some foreign students are also unhappy with the huge amounts they are made to pay for very poor hostel facilities although they believe a demonstration is not the way to go.
An international student, who pays three thousand and five hundred dollars for a room shared with another international student, said they weren’t receiving any service worth the money they were paying.
“We entered the room only to meet two beds and a fan. That’s all there is in the room; No floor mats, the bathroom is bad and we are paying three thousand and five hundred for a room. The room is bad, it is empty and dirty and it is nothing worth the money we are paying, he said.
Thriller News GH further engaged another Nigerian student who pays four thousand Ghana cedis per semester, according to her, she feels intimitated that she only took the exorbitant prices as one of the hazards of living in a foreign country.
Many students have mulled that maybe the only reason to solve the challenge of high hostel prices is to demonstrate to the authorities.
A Ghanaian student who offers Actuarial Science felt the demonstration for prices was quite misplaced as according to him, it would make much sense if the students would demonstrate for the university to look at the standards of living in those hostels rather than look at the prices they are paying.
“If we are paying this and we are not receiving any better service, then what good will it be if we reduce the prices? he opined.
Check out the Price list for 2020/2021 academic year of some hostels
3500gh-2in1
3000gh-3in1
6300gh-1in1
2IN1-3970gh
2IN2(COMPLEXBLOCKS)-3570gh
2IN2-3310gh
3IN1-2910gh
4IN1-2375gh
2IN1-3500gh
2IN1-3000gh
1IN1-5000gh
2700gh-2in1
1500gh-4in1
2in1-3920gh
3in1-2890gh
4in1-2550gh(extra large)
4in1-2300gh(normal)
1in1-3350gh
1in1-1950gh(Shared facilities)
2in1-2750gh
2in1-2650gh
3in1-2350gh
3in1-2200gh
3in1-2100gh
Main Block
1in1-2900gh-4600gh
2in1-2300gh
3in1-1800gh
Office Block
1in1-2900gh-5000gh
2in1-2500gh
3in1-2000gh
New Block
1in1-5400gh
1in1-5000gh(Small)
2in1-2800gh(Big)
2in1-2500gh(Small)
3in1-2500gh
4in1-1800gh
2in1-3000gh
2in1-3400gh
1in1-3500gh
2in1-2500gh(with personal kitchen)
2in1-2200gh(without kitchen)
3in1-1800gh
3200gh-2in1
2700gh-3in1
Oldblock
2700gh-2in1
5800gh-2in1
3960gh-3in1
3064gh-2in1
2129gh-3in1
3870gh with AC-2in1
3386gh withoutAC-2in1
3750gh-2in1
3064gh-2in1
2129gh-3in1
4461gh-1in1
4300gh-1in1
1613gh-4in1
The issue of accommodation on any University campus is one of the important factors that ought to be considered, as far as the academic success of a student is concerned.
We (Thriller News GH) urges the University’s management, government and the various stakeholders to continue to increase hostel facilities on campus to help solve the problems associated with students accommodation.
Source: www.thrillernewsgh.com
THE GOVERNMENT AND THE UNIVERSITY AUTHORITIES DOES NOTHING TO COME TO OUR AID. THEY UNDERLOOK AMD OVER IGNORE THE CRY OF ALL THOSE THAT RE BEING EXPLOITED. BUT ALL IN ALL, THEY WILL STAND IN THEIR VARIOUS HOMES TO CRITICIZE THE GOVT FOR NOT DOING THEIR WORK WELL WHEN UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION AND THE GHANA HOSTEL MANAGEMENTS, RENT CONTROL HAVE LOST FOCUS ON THE REGULATING AND MANAGING THESE HOSTELS AND HOMESTELS. ITS NOW A YARDSTICK TO DISRESPECT STUDENTS FINANCIAL STATUS AND A HATEWORTHY ACT TO PREACH TO REDUCE HOSTEL AMOUNT BY HALF THE AMOUNT. WE AS STUDENTS MUST RISE FOR SOMETHING TO BE DONE IF NOT IN THE 5 TO 10YEARS NO ONE CAN COME TO SCHOOL
This is too much
This is outrageously draining students
Which one too is that….increasing prices in hostels??? The university is supposed to do something about this…This is very unfair
I don’t even understand the need for these increments. Nothing is changed in these rooms. Sometimes students even repair faulty items, paint dirty walls and do other things to maintain their rooms all by themselves. I know a student who had to sleep on a mattress put on the floor for nearly one semester before his hostel authorities came in to repair his bed.
I don’t encourage demonstration but it seems that’s the only language authorities really hear nowadays…