Some students of the University of Ghana have expressed disappointment over the poor Wi-Fi connectivity at the 24-hour reading room of the Balme Library.
The reading room, which is open for students from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. the following day, has reportedly faced Wi-Fi challenges since the start of the semester.
Speaking to Univers News, students said the poor connection prevents them from readily accessing educational materials and other essential tools online. They described it as unfair, stressing that they have already paid for such services through their school fees.
“I realized the Wi-Fi is actually poor in the 24-hour Reading Room, and this is very bad because most of us use our laptops and phones for all the slides uploaded on the platforms for us. We are paying for the Wi-Fi through our school fees, so if it works properly, it would be the best,” one student said.
Some also lamented the financial burden caused by the poor connectivity, as it compels them to purchase data bundles for learning and research.
“We find it very difficult to use it to access our learning platform and read uploaded slides and other materials. Sometimes, we need to conduct research, but because of the lack of connectivity, we cannot access certain websites. As a result, we are forced to use our own money to buy data, which could have been used for other expenses,” another student noted.
Other students questioned the overall quality of Wi-Fi on campus, especially given the widespread use of technology in academic work. They described the situation as “poor and discouraging” and urged management to address it.
“At this point, poor Wi-Fi connectivity at the 24-hour Reading Room is not the best at all. I need to research certain provisions, but I’m not getting access, and it’s frustrating. This is the Balme Library; there should be no reason to face this problem,” one student complained.
“I don’t understand why we should have a 24-hour Reading Room without good Wi-Fi. In this university, everything is internet-based, and as students, I’m sure we are paying for it. Something must be done about it,” another added.
Meanwhile, Head of the Network Research Team at the University of Ghana, Mr. Emmanuel Togoh, explained that the situation had not been officially reported. Speaking off the record, he assured that the issue would be investigated and addressed appropriately.
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Story by | Gabriel Tecco Mensah | univers.ug.edu.gh
