The University of Ghana (UG) has sanctioned 115 students for breaching the code of conduct, engaging in examination malpractices and rude behaviours towards invigilators.
The school suspended 14 students for disorderly conduct and failure to observe the orders of the university authorities in a notice issued and signed by the school’s Registrar, Emelia Agyei-Mensah, last Monday (June 16).
The notice explained that the conduct of the students suspended for the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 academic years’ amounted to “Misconduct contrary to Statutes 42(1)(a) of the University of Ghana Statutes 2011”.
Also, 101 others were served with grade penalties, expulsion and reprimand by the university for various offences.
One of the victims, Abdul Yakini Lukman, is expected to serve his penalty concurrently “per section 45(1)(g) of the University of Ghana Statutes”.
Other disciplinary actions
The university also sanctioned 76 students, awarding them with Grade Z for the first or second semester of the 2023/2024 academic year. Also, 23 students were awarded Grade X in the aforementioned academic year.
Three students (Christian Owusu Yeboah, Linda Attah Lambongyi, and Doris Bikpe), in addition to the grade penalty, were expelled from the school for impersonation, which is contrary to Regulation 11.12 of the UG Regulations on Examinations.
Also, two students (Eugene Nimo Obeng, and Lilian N.L. Miller), in addition to the grade penalty, were suspended for the second semester of the 2023/2024 academic year.
The Grade X and Z penalty ranged from offences such as “communicating and copying during examinations contrary to Regulation 10.10, leaving examination hall with answer booklets contrary to Regulation 10.13, copying from unauthorised material contrary to Regulation 11.12, passing and receiving information under examination contrary to Regulation 10.5, displaying answers written on body parts to others contrary to Regulation 10.5” of the UG Regulations on Examinations.
Fatimah Iddriss was reprimanded for being rude towards invigilators, while Justice Nii-Amo was also reprimanded for communicating during an examination.
Grade interpretation
According to the Handbook for Doctoral Studies and Regulations Governing Graduate Study and University Examinations 2024, a Grade X is “awarded to a student who is unable to complete a course for reasons adjudged by the Board of the School of Graduate Studies as unacceptable”.
Also, a Grade Z “denotes disqualification from an examination as a result of an examination malpractice or offence and shall be awarded whenever it is established that a candidate had attempted to gain an unfair advantage in an examination”.
It also established that “a candidate awarded a Grade Z may be barred from taking a University Examination for a stated period, or indefinitely, or may be expelled from the university. A Grade Z may be awarded only by the Board of the School of Graduate Studies”.
Advice
The statement by UG underscored the importance of students’ adherence to university regulations and advised students to abide by the school’s regulations.
“All students are advised to familiarise themselves with the university’s regulations and conduct themselves in a manner befitting members of our community," it said.
