General News of Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Source: GNA
A Sunyani High Court has ordered the National Accreditation Board (NAB) to restore the certificate issued to Ideas University College (IUC) at Fiapre near Sunyani.
The court presided over by Mr Justice Francis Kwabena Opoku was giving a ruling in the matter of nine students of the university seeking for the enforcement of their fundamental human rights following the revocation of the certificate of accreditation to the university.
It said “For the avoidance of doubt, I order the NAB to reinstate/restore the certificate of accreditation to IUC, Fiapre forthwith”.
The students are Michael Boateng, Isaac Ayeetey, Ishmael Kissiedu, Joseph Danso Akowue and Augustine Gyaa.
The rest are, Kwadwo Kyeremeh, Francis Atta Sekyere, Samuel Kojo Nbaib and Alfred Ndevu.
The NAB in a letter dated December 5, 2011 and signed by its deputy executive secretary revoked the certificate of IUC to operate as a tertiary institution and the accreditation to run programmes.
It said at NAB’s 83rd meeting on Friday, October 21, 2011, a report from its fact-finding mission to the IUC was discussed and “The Board directed the withdrawal of the institution’s accreditation and by extension, accreditation granted any of its programmes”.
The Board cited among other reasons controversy over the proprietorship of the institution, non-existence of a Governing Council, operation of another campus without the knowledge and consent of the Board and admission of unqualified students.
The authorities of IUC upon receipt of the letter on December 7, 2011 consequently ceased to operate and despite all efforts and appeals from the student body, NAB refused to rescind its decision.
The students instituted the action because they felt the Board’s decision was unfair, unjust and gross infringement on their fundamental human rights and educational rights.
The court said the governance structure and management of the university were intact for academic work to take off and therefore directed that “all deficiencies, if any should be rectified since no human institution is perfect.”