KNUST: Level 300 Student Petitions Vice Chancellor Over Ban On Social Activities

• The Vice Chancellor of KNUST has been petitioned by a student to lift the ban on social activities
• The student argued that the recent happenings in the school could be blamed on the lack of fun activities for students to engage in
• Netizens who reacted to his petition have commended him for talking about the issue

A third-year student of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) is on a one-man crusade to ensure the ban on social activities at the university is lifted.

Fiifi Obeng Bediako has petitioned the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Rita Akosua, Dickson, where he opined that the reported cases of KNUST students facing difficult moments ranging from illness, accidents, and most troubling of all, some even trying to take their lives are happening because students are stressed.

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"I would like to believe, in our case, that burnout syndrome is a huge contributing factor to this problem.

In a community where there is huge mental exhaustion from academic work with a ban on social activities that may otherwise help release some stress, it becomes obvious that with time students may feel overwhelmed with loss of motivation leading to depression" parts of the petitions read.

He explained that the ban has outlived its usefulness, hence appealing to the Vice Chancellor to play the lead role in ensuring that the activities that make the school lively and fun are restored.

Fiifi also appealed to the University’s Counselling office to be steadfast in their performance of their duties.

"An e-counselling platform to ensure anonymity to allow students to talk to professionals whenever needed could prove useful"

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KNUST, in August 2022, banned social activities, including hall week celebrations and morale nights, following the clash between residents of the University and Unity Hall.

Peeps commend the student for speaking about the issue

Ghanaians who reacted to the petition praised the young man for making an effort to ensure that the ban on social activities is lifted.

@johnstoni stated:

During my first year at @KNUSTGH around 2005 the University Registrar tried pulling a stunt like that posting notices that all recreational activities were banned after the Mzbel saga. Long story short, the next morning there was another notice from the VC himself rescinding the previous notice

@iam_Shakiru commented:

Students should send a letter every week till the administration lifts the ban.

@kwameka14452485 added:

Our universities don't even use/implement findings of the research they tout themselves to be upholding

Students push for meeting with university authorities

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Speaking to YEN.com.gh, Fiifi Obeng Bediako said he and other students are hoping to meet the relevant university authorities as soon as possible.

He said the purpose of the meeting would be to deliberate about the issues raised in the petition and also to look at how best they could be resolved.

"In my case, I just finished writing my mid-semester examinations, and we are pushing to meet the relevant authorities to discuss our plights. It is something that we are pushing from all ends such as the media, the students, and the university staff as well"

He added that many students have called to give him support and also to encourage him on his agenda to get the ban on social activities lifted in the university.

KNUST student attempt to fall from a building

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that a student of KNUST nearly took his own life at the Brunie Complex on campus.

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Housemates sprung into action to save the unidentified male who was hanging loosely on the top floor of the five-storey building.

Source: YEN.com.gh