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KNUST reopens for 2026/2027 academic year despite GAUA strike
•2 min read•1 source
The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi has officially reopened for the 2026/2027 academic year, welcoming both fresh and continuing students to campus. This reopening occurs despite the ongoing industrial action by the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA), which has affected administrative services across public universities. The university administration has proceeded with the scheduled arrival of students, marking the beginning of the first semester of the new academic cycle. To facilitate the admission and registration process during the strike, the university has deployed skeletal staff to assist students and their parents. Dr. Daniel Norris Bekoe, the University Relations Officer, stated that these personnel are present to manage the hall registration process and help fresh students settle into their respective residences. While the full complement of administrative services is not available, the presence of these staff members ensures that the most critical entry-level processes can continue without major disruption. The academic calendar for this semester is set to run from October 2026 to February 2027, with lectures officially scheduled to begin on October 19. Students are currently utilizing the available university portals and on-campus assistance to complete their academic and residential registrations. The university's decision to maintain its schedule highlights an effort to avoid delays in the academic year, though the administrative backlog could grow if the labor dispute persists. The GAUA strike remains a significant factor in the background of this reopening. The association's members, who handle vital administrative and professional functions within the university, are seeking improvements to their conditions of service. As students prepare for the start of lectures, stakeholders will be monitoring the negotiations between the government and the administrators’ union to see how quickly full services can be restored to the Kumasi-based institution.
