Graduands Of Peki College of Education Agitate Over Management’s Decision To Prevent Them From Attending Graduation

Graduands of the Peki College of Education (GOVCO) are calling on the Management of the College to rescind their decision to prevent them from attending their graduation ceremony.

The management, in a letter dated July 20, 2021 informed the graduands of the decision to postpone the ceremony due to Covid-19.

“We write to inform you that, the College has received a letter on the above subject that due to Covid-19 the College is allowed to issue out Certificates to the 2019 batch of students who completed Diploma in Basic Education Programme without Graduation or Congregation. The said event would be held later as soon as Covid-19 is over and you would be duly informed if such comes”.

The graduands were however, asked to pay an amount of 250.00 cedis as graduation fee.

The College, in another letter dated May 12, 2021 has directed only First Class and Second Class Upper Graduands of the 2019 and 2020 year batch of students attend the congregation physically since the event would be conducted virtually.

Speaking with a session of the graduands, they express their displeasure over the decision of the management.

“we were all charged for graduation. We paid 250.00 cedis for it. Earlier, they brought a letter, inviting only our juniors for graduation. We agitated and they decided to now add only first class and second class upper graduands to those who are to come for the congregation. Our concern here is that, once we were all asked to pay for graduation, we all deserve to be treated equally”

Some of the First Class and Second Class Upper graduands have also decided not to attend the congregation as a way of supporting their colleagues.

“As a year group, we have all decided not to attend the congregation. This is in solidarity with our colleagues who have been denied the opportunity since we all paid for the graduation” they said.

The graduands are now charging the management of the institution to refund to them monies that were paid for the congregation.

“Now that the congregation has been held, we are asking Management to refund our monies to us. We paid for Publicity (50.00), Refreshment (35.00), Academic Gown (20.00) and Protocol (30.00). Since we won’t be benefiting from all these, we deserve to be given our monies” they added.

The 14th Congregation of the College is slated to take place virtually on Friday, May 21, 2021.

Speaking with the College Secretary, Mrs Nancy Dogbey stated that, the congregation is supposed to go 100% virtual but management is trying to create a space for representatives.

“We are in the covid situation. The whole thing is supposed to go completely virtual but we are trying to make way for the first class and second class upper to represent whiles still doing the virtual. The Minister called to even warn us. The representative of the Minister for Education (Dr. Nketia) is even here. You wouldn’t like us to go against the rules of the nation. What are they complaining about? We have tried” she stated.

On the issue of refund of monies for items they paid for but won’t be benefitting, she asked if their only option is to come to the media.

“Must they come to the media? Is that the best thing to do? Should they bypass the management and go to the media? They should put their grievances before management. We are giving them everything they paid for” she added.

In relation to the issue of observing Covid-19 Protocols, the graduands are of the view that, the College could equally organise the congregation separately for the two year group since they all paid for that purpose.

“If their reason for denying us attending the congregation is due to Covid-19, why can’t they organise the congregation separately for us? We all paid for the congregation and as we said earlier, we deserve to be treated equally. How do you expect us to pay for Publicity, entertainment, Academic Gown, refreshment and media when the whole event is expected to be virtual?” they said.

Source: Joshua Kwesi Tettey, Contributer