KNUST Students Protest Rising Private Hostel Fees

Students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have protested the sharp increase in fees charged by private hostel operators, saying the rising cost of accommodation is placing a heavy financial burden on them and their families.

The students raised their concerns during the National Youth Conference organised by the National Youth Authority at KNUST.

Members of University Hall, popularly known as Katanga, displayed placards to draw attention to the accommodation challenges confronting students.

Some of the messages on the placards read: “Reduce hostel fees now!”, “We came to learn, not to sleep” and “Hostel fees are now more expensive than our school fees.”

Obrane, leader of the Katanga morale group and a final-year Agricultural Engineering student, said the escalating cost of accommodation was becoming a threat to access to university education.

He said the burden was affecting not only students but also their parents and guardians.

“Everybody wants their children to enrol in university; if the hostel prices are more expensive than the university school fees, then it’s unfortunate,” he said.

Obrane also accused some private hostel owners of disregarding guidelines issued by the Rent Control Department, resulting in what he described as arbitrary charges.

“The hostel owners want to exhibit that their power supersedes the government,” he said, while appealing to the media to highlight the concerns of students.

“We came to school to learn and not to sleep,” he added.

Responding to the concerns, Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo, assured the students that the government would engage the relevant authorities to find a solution.

“I want to assure them that as Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, I will take up this issue with the Minister for Education and the appropriate authorities that are responsible for controlling rent in this country,” he said.

Mr Opare Addo stressed that Ghana was governed by laws and that individuals and businesses should not be permitted to operate outside established regulations.

He also disclosed that the Ministry of Education was engaging private developers on the construction of affordable student accommodation on university campuses.

According to him, the government remains committed to its “Bed for All” policy, a manifesto pledge aimed at expanding accommodation facilities for students in tertiary institutions.

“We will have the necessary conversations with owners of hostels and make sure that prices are reasonable for the dear students of this country,” he said.

The protest comes amid growing concerns about the rising cost of tertiary education in Ghana, with accommodation becoming a major financial challenge for students who are unable to secure places in university-managed halls.