The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has endorsed the decision to change all single-sex halls in Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to unisex.
Otumfuo who doubles as the Chancellor of the school reiterated that the decision to change the halls was geared towards increasing the number of female enrolments, which should be promoted.
Otumfuo said this while speaking at the 2018 Special Congregation ceremony of the school.
He noted that Ghana’s population stands in a ratio of 49:51 in favour of females, a fact which he said cannot be ignored.
The Chancellor, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II also asked for the decision to be supported by all stakeholders including the Alumni body, who have fiercely kicked against the conversion. He also cautioned male students against hiding behind tradition to portray rowdy behaviours.
He stated that: “Lewd male student behaviour in the presence of female students in the name of culture and traditions, is not justifiable under any circumstances. Any culture that is not dynamic dies.â€
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He said universities run on rules and regulations and thus all the students must make sure there is a tolerable environment for every member of the school community.
The decision to convert the halls was announced to the university community in January 2018 and since then alumni and residents of the all-male halls, University Hall and their rivals Unity Hall have resisted the move.
The alumni filed a suit in court to prevent the authorities from posting female students to the two previous all-male halls which was later thrown out.
The school authorities then proceeded to convert the halls and allocated first-year female students to the halls. The Alumni, however, vowed to fight for the decision to be reversed.