The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), in Kumasi, has reopened for first-year and continuing students for the 2026/2027 academic year, despite the ongoing strike by the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA).

The twist in KNUST’s resumption seemed to surprise many, as the school on October 9 announced an indefinite postponement of the reopening of the 2026/2027 academic year, with a previously scheduled reopening date of October 13, stating that the GAUA strike had affected the university's effective operations and administration.

It involves university administrators, the people who handle admissions, registration, academic records, accommodation allocation, payroll, finance, and other key administrative functions.

However, on Thursday, October 16, a report from Accra-based media house Citi News reported that the university is admitting freshers at its respective halls of residence, as parents and students were seen going through hall registration processes.

Speaking to the media, the University Relations Officer, Dr Daniel Norris Bekoe, explained the admission process.

“We issued a release yesterday [October 14] that we will start welcoming the freshers to the university from today and tomorrow, and then the continuing students will come on October 17. Lectures are supposed to begin on October 19.

“Going around the campus, I think you would have seen that parents are coming, students are coming, and we have skeletal staff who are attending to the parents and the students, particularly the freshmen and women. So far, everything seems to be going well, and so we are hoping that it will continue like that.”

The first semester will run from October 2026 to February 2027, while the second semester is scheduled for March to June 2027.

The next academic year, 2027/2028, is expected to begin in September 2027.

Why is GAUA on strike?

The GAUA strike stems from long-standing grievances over allowances, market premium disparities, conditions of service and retirement-related benefits.

While the government has opened negotiations, offered some immediate concessions and referred salary concerns to the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, the association says its major concerns remain unresolved, prompting the continuation of the industrial action.