Authorities of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, have for the purpose of providing sufficient intern accommodation for female students taken a bold decision to convert two male halls into mixed halls.
The two halls to be converted are Unity Hall and the University Hall popularly known as 'Katanga'
Spokesperson for the University, Kwame Yeboah Junior in an interview with CITI FM news indicated that “from the university's decision, it is to provide accommodation for more female students in the university therefore the move to change the male halls into mixed ones.”
However, mixed reactions greeted the dean of students, Professor William Gariba when he officially announced to students that the unity hall and Katanga, strictly male halls will be altered into mixed halls beginning next academic year.
This announcement has caused some students to threaten to go on demonstration if the decision taken by authorities is not rescinded.
While authorities of the school say the conversion of the two male halls is to increase the number of female students admitted into residential facilities on campus, in order to achieve gender equality per the international standards, rumours have it that the authorities have taken that swift move to curb the long standing clashes between the two main halls which sometimes turn bloody.
The University Hall was named to commemorate the accession of the Kumasi College of Technology to full University status on 22nd August, 1961. It is an all male Hall. The main hall has 198 rooms excluding flats, and the annex has 95 rooms. It is popularly known as" KATANGA".
Facilities include Games room, A Gym, Chapel, Internet Cafe, A mini market, Communication centre, Barbering Salon, kitchen that serves food etc.
Unity Hall is the largest hall with an original accommodation capacity of 448 rooms but presently have 36 extra flats. It is an all-male hall with modern facilities and nicknamed “The Twin Towers". Members are known as "Continentals".
Facilities include a modern internet cafe, Communication & Business centre, Basket ball court, Games room, A Boutique & Gift Shop, Barbering Salon, kitchen that serves food and a Shopping mall with a well stocked Supermarket.
Unity and KATANGA Bad Blood
The Vice Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Professor Otoo Ellis in 2014 threatened to convert the two male halls of the University into mixed halls.
According to Professor Otoo Ellis, the leadership of the University will be forced to embark on this quest if students of these halls break any more rules of the University.
In recent years, both halls have developed bad blood against each other which has resulted in some unnecessary casualties on few occasions.
For a rivalry which seemed healthy and friendly in previous years, many fear to involve themselves in any of their activities because it turns violent anytime they meet.
These practices have not only affected only them but other persons and social activities in the University.
On two occasions, the annual debate competition by the National Union of Ghana Students have truncated because of the two.
Notable was a clash between the two halls that led to the rustication and arrests of some students.
Leaders of these halls were subsequently denied of graduation as a result.
Source: Elizabeth Semiheva Bedi/Peacefmonline.com
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The number of halls of residence hasnt increased and u ar increasing intake of females into these same halls. meaning u ar going to reduce the number of male intake ?ah so de boys who wld hav had residence shld go and sleep under trees ? this is not wise unfortunately. Stop dis Girl Child thin to de detriment of the boy child. Equal rights for all. Have u converted Dome into a mixed hall 2 ? Wisdom is lacking here oooo.
The authorities of KNUST should please come again. What sort of reason are they giving to us on the conversion of conti and katanga to mixed halls. They should come again. Go tell these ananse stories to the Sunday school children service. If you want to get space for females,build more halls. All they are interested in is expanding their GUSS hostels for their selfish gains. The school has big lands for halls. Build more halls, that is wisdom. They claim they have consulted stake holders. Who are they, name them. How do you expect the SRC to argue on this when their fingers are locked in your mouth. Dear KNUST authorities, please come again with a better reason for this conversion. Mind you, if you think the conversion is to curb the vandalism, you've failed. Look for proper way to curb it and stop this kindergarten games
Feminism decisions. this means male population is subtly being reduced. how come Africa is not being turned into mixed halls?
Professors making this kind of reasoning?? Please my professors what stops you from converting the mixed halls into purely female halls if it is not the mischief of breaking KAT and CONTI. Pls wiseup and stop this childish reasoning
Guys if the University Authorities are bent on converting the halls, take the matter to court as Vandals did.
Haven't they seen the school has a vast land that they can build more halls to solve the problem than to doom the history and the name of the University and if it's about the rivalry, won't there be any men in kat and conti? They will still admit men can't those men also fight even if it's made mixed.and even we are together today we went to moral together. Wise up Africa
this does not solve the problem. THese halls were built in the 1960s!!!! Since then Ghana's pop has increased 6x. Yet the university authority's (who attended it free) have increased their stuuupppiddity astronomically. Is it not the case for aggressive expansion? You train civil engineers. Yet you are as dummmb as an illiterate. In fact, an illiterate is wiser than u!!!
will this solve the accommodation problem? Just build more halls and stop making us3l3ss changes. mixing them is not the problem but will that give everyone accommodation. the answer is NO. it is time we start thinking of long lasting solutions to current problems otherwise generations to come will be in serious trouble. they may not find ways out of the problem. we just think abt the short term. why? let us think ahead. the population keeps increasing everyday and it is high time we change our way of solving problems.
What did you just say, institute barracks at both halls, and issue warning of shoot and kill, quess you don’t have bra!n , stup!d ***barred word***, why don’t you come and do it yourself, !diotic bastarrrd .181764
This is long overdue