Ideas University College students appeal for government’s intervention

Category: Education Created on Wednesday, 18 April 2012 19:41 Published Date Written by GNA Hits: 406

Sunyani, April 18, GNA – Students of the Ideas University College (IUC) at Fiapre near Sunyani have appealed to the government and stakeholders to intervene for the institution to be granted accreditation.
     The students pleaded with the Minister of Education, Tertiary Education Council,  Brong-Ahafo Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) and the Regional House of Chiefs to come to their aid else their future would be in jeopardy.
     The IUC was issued with accreditation by the National Accreditation Board (NAB) on September 1, 2010 but the NAB per letter dated December 5, 2011 revoked it and lectures have ceased.
     Among the reasons given for the revocation is “controversy over the proprietorship of the institution that has led to a split of the student body into two groups taking academic instruction from ‘two campuses’ of the institution and thus jeopardizing academic work and the future of the students.”  
     Making the appeal on behalf of his colleagues in Sunyani on Tuesday, Mr. Daniel Adama, interim secretary of the Student Representative Council (SRC) said their resources in terms of money, time and energy were being wasted because of the situation.
     Mr Adama contended that all of them had the right to education, saying “we think by that decision, the NAB is denying us the right to acquire education”.
      He said per the letter of revocation, there were certain conditions that should have been met by the proprietors of the institution before issuance of the accreditation but “the NAB without satisfying itself of those conditions gave the accreditation”.
      Mr Adama cited another point in the letter of revocation that said “incomplete affiliation agreement with proposed Mentoring Institution since the institution was issued with accreditation ((1st September 2010)” and said NAB was therefore making them victims because of somebody’s negligence.
     He said “the accreditation was probably issued not on merit but by influence” as a point in the revocation letter state  that there was  “no formal lease agreement for the use of the buildings occupied by the institution which was a condition for the grant of accreditation.”