GRASAG Threatens Demo Over Unpaid Grants

The Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG) chapter at the University of Cape Coast is threatening to demonstrate by Friday if the Scholarship Secretariat fails to pay members their outstanding bursary and thesis grants for the 2016/2017 academic year.

It said members and executives have exhausted all diplomatic engagements with the Secretariat, which it observed, has not showed commitments to effect payment of their arrears.

GRAGSAG argued that the President’s vision of ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ would only be realised if the government begins to understand the need and importance of research in post graduate studies.

President of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) chapter of GRSAG Benjamin Sundeme issued the threat at the 25th anniversary launch of GRASAG in Cape Coast.

The anniversary will be celebrated on the theme “Curbing the Menace of graduate Unemployment”.

Mr Sundeme said with the trend of modern education, graduate students play an important role in the academic development of every university and the country as a whole.

The Association, he said, had also been through daring challenges such as chronic apathy and mistrust towards leadership and mischievousness.

He appreciated the efforts of the past leadership of the University and GRASAG whose sterling efforts has left a legacy that they can now boast of.

He said the recent daylight robbery and the cause of fear and panic is evidence of unemployment, hence urged government to address the menace with a touch of urgency.

He also entreated the government and other stakeholders to support the private organisations to help curb private unemployment since it has not only become a threat to national security but a recipe that can disturb world peace.

Pro Vice Chancellor of UCC, Prof George K. T. Oduro  also called on government to plan and train people who can create jobs.

He said government must support research-based education which is key to addressing the country’s socio economic needs.

Prof Oduro blamed the frustration of the youth on the current unemployment challenges which has forced a lot of the youth to adopt a quick fix that contradicts the nation’s moral values.

He said there is the need for focus to be on research work so as to solve the unemployment challenges which is already causing frustrations to reduce.

He challenged the university to consider restructuring the curriculum and delivery to a more student centered approach.

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