THE management of the Cape Coast Technical University (CCTU) has appealed for more hostel facilities, saying the inadequate hostel facilities were affecting interest and admissions to the university.
The university currently has about 4,000 students with a 300 capacity on campus hostel.
The rest of the students usually find accommodation in communities around the university, with many in not so conducive learning environments.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Rt Rev. Professor Joshua Danso Owusu-Sekyere, said the lack of hostel facilities did not only serve as a disincentive for prospective students, but also did not augur well for effective teaching and learning.
Prof. Owusu-Sekyere disclosed these at this year’s matriculation for first year students of the university.
For the 2022/2023 academic year the university admitted 2,689 students.
Out of the number 1,836 candidates including 21 Master of Technology students, 1,695 Bachelor of Technology students, 369 Higher National Diploma, two Certificate and 578 Diploma students have enrolled.
Prof. Owusu-Sekyere said a lot had been done to increase the number of females in male dominated courses, saying that the 45.3 per cent of females admitted this year was significant.
Prof. Owusu-Sekyere observed that the hostel situation had made some prospective students not opt for the university, while others failed to enrol when they found out the accommodation challenges.
In an interview on the situation, he stated that several memorandums of understanding that had been signed between the university and investors who had shown interest to build hostels for students on the campus had not resulted in concrete actions.
He said the fact that hostels were capital intensive could explain the reasons for the disinterest, adding that currently no developer was on ground to help provide the hostel facilities.
He said the university had been told that the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), would be coming in to help with the building of hostels, but that had not materialised yet.
He observed that “Some students who live outside campus have to commute back and forth and with some lectures starting at 7 a.m. and closing at possibly 7p.m. the situation is difficult for some.”
Some of the students the Daily Graphic spoke to said the situation was worrying and was affecting their studies.
Meanwhile decent hostels around the university charge around GH¢2,200 a year for a room taking two students.
Many living in the communities around the university have converted their facilities into hostels and charging between GH¢1,000 and 15,000 a year.
One of the students, Esther Donkor, said she commuted from home to campus every day
“This is stressful and expensive and I pray more hostels are built on campus to save us the stress of commuting every day,” she added.
Others including Christabel Afful, Diana Quayson and Christina Bassaw, who were also in hostels off campus said moving to the communities after lectures, especially in the evenings, could be scary and urged the government to support the university with hostels.
SOURCE: Graphiconline
