Concerns over political interference and governance clarity dominated stakeholder consultations on a proposed Student Parliament Charter spearheaded by the Parliament of Ghana.
At the forum, participants largely endorsed the initiative but called for stronger provisions to guarantee independence, transparency, and accountability in student parliamentary structures across tertiary institutions.
Director of Public Engagement at the Parliamentary Service, Effia Tenge, said the charter seeks to formalise student parliaments into structured, inclusive, and non-partisan platforms linked to the national legislature.
However, stakeholders emphasised that achieving true non-partisanship would require clear safeguards against external political influence, alongside well-defined rules on leadership tenure, succession planning, and dispute resolution.
The consultations brought together representatives from institutions including University of Ghana, University of Professional Studies, Accra, and Accra Technical University, among others, reflecting broad student and academic engagement.
Participants also highlighted the need for stronger gender balance and disability inclusion to ensure the platform reflects diverse student voices.
Officials say feedback from the engagements will be used to refine the draft charter before its eventual rollout, with the aim of creating a clear pathway for youth participation in governance.
The initiative is expected to deepen civic education and give students practical exposure to legislative processes, while strengthening structured dialogue between young people and policymakers.
