Education Minister Mathew Opoku Prempeh says government maintains that the Katanga Hall of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) remains a male hall and not a mixed hall.
He, however, said even though government are standing by this decision, the ultimate power rest in the hands of the KNUST Council.
The government last week wrote to the University Council asking them not to consider converting Katanga to a mixed hall.
READ ALSO: KNUST: Katanga hails govt's backing to revert to ‘male-only hall’
This did not go down with the alumni of the Unity Hall as the government did not mention them in the letter even though the conversion affects it too.
Consequently, the alumni declared they are stripping the minister, who is an alumnus of the hall, off his membership status.
Speaking to the media in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, the Manhyia South MP said: “Government position has been well stated. Ultimately, it is the University Council that decides. I will not change government’s policy on the whim. Government has stated its aversion to the policy and that policy, in as much as it affects any hall is a policy the government is against. That is government’s position. Probably people do not read well.â€
“Government talked about its aversion to the policy. I wrote to the Chairman of the University Council, expressing government’s position on the mixed hall policy and it is about the policy, it is not about Katangaâ€.
Both Unity and Katanga were all-male Halls until a recent decision by the school authorities to convert them into a mixed Hall in order to promote Maths and Science studies among female students.
The conversion which is being resisted by the students of the hall is before a court and the Asantehene for intervention.
READ ALSO: Katanga must remain male hall - Edu. Ministry to KNUST Council