Graduation at GIJ in limbo over absence of school Council

The 2017 graduation ceremony for students who pursued various masters’ programmes at the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) has been postponed indefinitely.

The ceremony was to have taken place in February, but a notice from school authorities in January said it has been called off.

Myjoyonline.com’s sources at the Institute revealed the absence of a standing Council for the school is to blame for the development.

The mandate of the Council constituted by the past National Democratic Congress (NDC) government expired in 2016 and a new one has since not been put in place.

Sources say the government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has not heeded to the numerous calls by the Institute for a new Council to be inaugurated.

“The school is ready but the government is yet to submit the list of its appointees onto the Council,” a source told Myjoyonline.com.

It is not clear if the Institute would wait to jointly graduate the second and third batches of its Masters’ students.

At least over 130 students who pursued Masters of Arts in Development Communication, Public Relations, Media Management and Journalism will be affected.

A student who spoke to Myjoyonline.com on a condition of anonymity said he has been denied promotion because he was unable to produce his certificate.

“This thing can’t continue we are losing things we fought for because we don’t have the Masters certificate to show for after convincing them we read the programme,” the student said.

The development at GIJ points to a growing trend that is fast gaining root in the country, especially in the education sector, whenever there is a change of government. Councils appointed by the previous government are set aside for the incoming government to inaugurate a new one.

The situation at the University of Education, Winneba is not different as a graduation ceremony expected to take place in April was postponed indefinitely over the absence of a Council.

Students of the school have threatened to storm the premises of the Education Ministry to protest over the development.