<<Print>>

Prospective students of the Methodist University College in Accra must look elsewhere to pursue their educational goals as their hopes have been dashed by a directive from the National Accreditation Board (NAB) ordering the university to suspend admissions for the next academic year. NAB says the University must comply with an earlier directive to withdraw the admission of 1,465 students who fail to meet the basic requirement of entry before admissions can commence. The unqualified students in question were admitted with the understanding that they pass all the papers they failed at the SSCE/WASSCE level before they can graduate. But the National Accreditation Board directed that none of such students should be allowed to stay in the school until they have met the admission requirements. Speaking to XYZ News to clarify the issue, Kwame Darteh, Executive Secretary of NAB said there should be no room for unqualified students on any campus in the country. He said even though the situation can affect the students and their parents or guardians, the authorities of the Methodist University must take the blame for flouting laid down regulations. According to him, the university new that it was unacceptable to admit such students but went ahead to do so despite various directives to draw their attention to the anomaly. He said the NAB is just carrying out its mandate of ensuring that the standards of education are improved and students are not shortchanged by the system. He however indicated that �if there are any issues, the students can take it up against the school.� He also revealed that the Central University College and the Pentecost University which were affected by the directive have complied with the decision. But the President of the Methodist University College, Professor Rev. Agyapong told XYZ News the decision smacks of dictatorship. He said university intends to meet the NAB to settle the differences because the Ghanaian students will be gravely affected by the decision. �I don�t think the NAB wants to act like a dictatorial institution,� he asserted. �Be kind to the student, let them go through but let them satisfy the requirement before they graduate,� he said, adding �we have written to them that we still want them to hear our side of the story as a matter of principle and I believe that the picture will change.�