Management of the Ghana Institute of Journalism insists that all students who failed to pay their fees before the school's registration deadline are to defer their courses.

This follows a management directive held on Monday, March 22, 2021.

According to a statement issued by the institute on Tuesday, March 23, 2021, "All affected students are to take note of this directive and act accordingly."

Mr Daniel Machator, who is in charge of Public Affairs at GIJ, said the decision was taken following the expiration of the grace period it gave to defaulting students to pay a certain percentage of their fees.

He said the deadline for the payment of fees was extended for about three times but many students did not pay any seriousness to the notices of extension.

The last grace period for the payment of fees expired on February 25, 2021.

According to Mr Machator, the school will start its examination on March 29, 2021, and cannot therefore accept new registration, adding that many students still have not paid their fees.

But a number of affected students are appealing for mercy since many students struggled to find money to pay their fees, owning to the impact of COVID-19.