Management of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) is not perturbed by a lawsuit challenging its decision to convert the all-male Unity hall into a mixed one.
The KNUST management is also seeking to convert University Hall, also known as Katanga, to a mixed hall.
The school has said the conversion will increase female enrollment in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education as well as increase the female population in the school.
However, the Old Boys Association of Unity Hall contends that the conversion is discriminatory.
The former Unity Hall residents are therefore seeking to prevent the school’s management from “attempting to alter the character and nature of Unity Hall from an all-male hall to a mixed-sex hall.”
Speaking on Eyewitness News, the Public Relations Officer for KNUST, George Tetteh Wayo said the school would respond to the suit.
“We are not deterred. They are right to do that, and we will respond appropriately,” he said on Eyewitness News.
He further dismissed suggestions the University was converting the halls out of selfish reasons, adding that this was not the first time conversion was taking place.
“This is not the first time a predominantly male hall is being made unisex. Queen’s hall, Independence hall and then Republic hall were predominantly male but differences of the time made the university decide to add females because the female numbers were going up and there was the need to find accommodation for them and the situation now is not any different from when those halls were made mixed halls.”
‘Old students fight conversion.’
The Alumni of two halls of residence at the KNUST Unity and University Halls have protested the conversion, describing it as an attempt to promote a culture of silence at the school.
Speaking to Citi News, the Greater Accra Press secretary of the University Hall alumni, Raymond Laud, called on the Chancellor of the University, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to intervene to prevent what they describe as a misplaced priority by the management of the University.
“We think that the reasons they are giving are not tenable. We know that they just want to promote a culture of silence on campus. The University Authority wants to have their way in everything they do.
“We are appealing to parents not to send their female wards to Katanga. We are appealing to the powers that be, President Akufo-Addo and the Chancellor, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to step in and call the Vice Chancellor to order.”
The Education Minister, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, has however backed the attempted conversion despite their concerns.
