Accra, June 18 GNA - The Ministry of Education Youth and Sports on Friday said it had viewed with concern a statement attributed to the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) in connection with alleged increase in fees.

A statement issued in Accra and signed by Mr Dan Osman Mwin, Public Relation Officer for the Sector Minister, said its reaction to the NUGS statement was not what was said but the language that was used to bring the issue to the public domain.

It said: "This is informed by facts that everybody expects good behaviour from students as they prepare to be future leaders." The statement said even in the event that there is such "a grand scheme" to increase fees the NUGS have the right to bring it to the notice of the University Councils through the Academic Boards on which they have representatives.

"The NUGS must know that the Ministry is policy maker and not manager of tertiary institutions and so issues pertaining to the management of Universities should first go to the various University Councils through the National Councils for Tertiary Education before they reach the Ministry."

The statement added: "The doors of the Ministry remain open to all recognized student organizations and stakeholders for dialogue and exchange of information but the channels of communication should be strictly followed and indeed using decent language." 18 June 04