Category: Education

The Campaign Against Privatisation and Commercialisation of Education (CAPCOE), an educational think tank, has said lack of funding is a challenge on the effective and efficient implementation of new curricula in the educational sector, especially at the basic level. Mr. Richard Kovey, the National Convenor of CAPCOE, disclosed this at a stakeholders' meeting organised by the Ghana News Agency, Tema Regional Office. He said funding problems were already impeding the implementation of the Standard Base Curriculum. Mr. Kovey emphasised that 'the standard-based curriculum has already failed because it lacked the basic funding. Digital literacy, creativity, and collaboration are being taught normally without any action; they learn like storytelling and come out not knowing what it is.' The Ghana Education Service (GES) introduced the standard-based curriculum for kindergarten through primary school in 2019 with the aim of replacing the objective-based curriculum and restructuring basic education to include s enior high school. The new curriculum was supposed to be a shift from an objective-based curriculum to a standards-based curriculum with a focus on strengthening the acquisition of reading, writing, arithmetic, and creativity as foundational skills for life-long learning and national development. He said the resources needed to support the implementation of the curriculum were not available, and therefore teachers, who were the implementers of all curricula, resorted to improvising or using the old system of teaching. He stated, for instance, that even though under the standard-based curriculum, pupils were to be assessed through practical means other than only written examinations, there were no provisions of funding to support assessment; therefore, the continuous use of examinations only took into consideration the ability of the child to put things into memory and reproduce them for marks. The CAPCOE convenor said even with the examination, since funding was not available for it, printing examination papers at the end of the term was a huge challenge for public schools, leading to teachers writing a few questions on the board for the pupils to answer in their exercise book. He therefore pleaded with the government to ensure that funding was made available for the effective implementation of curriculum to properly prepare the children from the pre-tertiary level. 'We must ensure that whatever the child learns should be something that can be applied outside the classroom; unfortunately, each time we attempt to reform the educational sector, there is no money to support it, so we always look for the cheaper way out, which is not helping the country,' he lamented. He said the teaching of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) must start from the basic level instead of the current situation, adding that it was in line with psychologists' belief that the first 10 years of the child were the best time to mould and shape their thinking and behaviours. Source: Ghana News Agency

Professor Samson Abah Abagale, the Acting Vice Chancellor (VC) of the Clement Kubindiwo Tedam-University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS), says the University will start Bachelor of Science (BSc) programmes in Paediatric and General Nursing. He said the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) had assessed the University's School of Nursing and Midwifery for the programmes. 'We are currently carrying out some revisions requested by GTEC so that hopefully we can get them started this academic year,' he said. Professor Abagale announced this at the third Congregation of the University, held in Navrongo in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality of the Upper East Region to graduate the third cohort of the University. A total of 424 students, comprising 190 graduate students, and 234 undergraduates, graduated in different disciplines. The Acting VC said the mandate of the University was to provide higher education, undertake research, disseminate knowledge related to development through integration of technology and applied sciences. Mindful of its mandate, Professor Abagale said management had developed and would continue to develop academic programmes and chart the path of research activities in technology, applied and mathematics sciences. 'To achieve this, the University has structured and aligned its academic programmes under 10 Schools in mainstream academics and has also opened other centres and units within our mandate,' he said. Professor Abagale said from June 2023, the University had added more programmes to its existing programmes; 'We have started M.Phil/PhD programmes in Infectious Diseases and Immunology in the School of Medical Sciences. 'A programme in M.Phil in Anaethesia and Critical Care has also been assessed and will soon get started also in the School of Medical Sciences, currently has been sent for assessment and accreditation. 'We are also making frantic efforts towards having the main programme in the School of Medical Sciences,' he added. Professor Abagale called for continued support from stakeholders, especially the Health Minister, Regional Minister, Chief Directors, and Directors in the Ministry of Health. Mr Stephen Yakubu, the Upper East Regional Minister, commended the University for staying on the course of its vision and mission, with three successful consecutive congregations starting in 2020. 'Such modest accomplishments must be credited to the hard work of the University Council, management, staff, and all stakeholders. 'For the Government of Ghana, the consecutive congregation programmes of this University further demonstrate the translation of foresight, and vision in action,' the Minister said. As the name of the University suggests, Mr Yakubu said it was envisioned to create a niche as an institution to nurture young minds in the fast-growing fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). 'As a STEM-biased institution, the Region is looking forward to innovations that would create jobs for th e teeming youth which would enhance their living standards. 'I am happy to note that management is not departing from this noble vision, and mission,' he added. The Minister congratulated the graduates and encouraged them to step into the next phase of their life with confidence for the future and said they had received training in courses that were very relevant to the development of the country. Source: Ghana News Agency

The Clement Kubindiwo Tedam-University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS) in the Upper East Region, has appealed to the government for infrastructure to house the increasing number of students from Senior High Schools. Professor Samson Abah Abagale, the University's Acting Vice Chancellor (VC), said there was increased enrollment and graduate output from the Free Senior High School programme and the establishment of the STEM Senior High Schools in the country. 'We are appealing to the government for lecture hall theatres and school buildings to house our growing numbers. We hope the government will not only hear us, but will answer us in the affirmative,' Professor Abagale said. The VC, who was speaking at the third congregation of 424 students at the University in Navrongo, the Kassena-Nankana Municipal, said the University was challenged with inadequate laboratories. He said management of the University had to collaborate with the Navrongo Health Research Centre in some cases for laboratory sessions for students. He appealed to the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to fast-track the completion of a laboratory complex under construction on the campus. Professor Abagale added that the University had two hostels with total capacity of 256 which could not house the student population of 2,054. He said, 'Most students have no option but to rent private hostels outside the University and guaranteeing their safety is a matter of concern for Management of the University.' He appreciated the efforts of GETFund to construct a hostel for the University and appealed to management of GETFund to make funds available for the completion of a hostel project. 'These structures are vital to our survival, and growth at this stage of the University. Please, hear us and support us,' Professor Abagale appealed. The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Stephen Yakubu, said the Government of Ghana would continue to support the growth of the University in line with the tertiary education policy. He acknowledged the teething challenges associated with young institutions like CKT-UTAS, and that efforts would be made to address them. He said the GETFund was introducing innovations to ensure that it promptly addressed infrastructural and logistical needs of educational institutions. Mr Yakubu said, 'We are confident that all abandoned and uncompleted projects being funded by GETFund, would be rectified under the new reforms. Source: Ghana News Agency

The New Africa Foundation has launched an innovative learning initiative to encourage university students to be entrepreneurs, foster leadership and create wealth. The initiative, christened: ' The University Challenge', is a 10-13 week inter-university competition designed to recruit brains from selected universities across the country to brainstorm and execute solutions to real life challenges in society. The concept is to encourage students to embark on business ventures before completing their degree certificates, a statement from the Foundation to the Ghana News Agency, said. 'The initiative is expected to promote the establishment of a comprehensive network platform across all universities, allowing students to recognise the potential of their peers prior to degree acquisition,' the statement said. The initiative, the statement said, would encourage students to creatively build businesses and create a robust network within the university ecosystem. 'The Challenge spans beyond the traditional acade mic realm, extending from the development of effective governance structures to the establishment of thriving businesses and industrial platforms.' The statement said the initiative sought to redefine the purpose of higher education and empower students to become not just job-seekers, but creators of economic opportunities and leaders in their fields. Participants of the Challenge are to form a team of three or five to develop an incubator for theoretical solutions and apply them to real world problems. A participant must be a student of any of the selected schools working with the Foundation and selected by the scouting team as an eligible candidate during the casting sessions. 'Participant must be smart, entrepreneurial, solutions oriented, a team player, and a leader, and be selected amongst the top five to earn a spot in the team which will represent the school,' the statement said. Prospective participants are to follow Challenge on social media, or look out for information on the casting sessions i n their schools. They are also to join the auditions, impress the scouts and win their spot on the school team. The statement said an amount of GHc 50,000 mobilisation funds would be allocated to each team, with a justification of the use of the money. The prize money for the winner of the competition is GHc 1,000,000.00. The competitors would have the opportunity to do their incubation or internships with the Foundation. Source: Ghana News Agency

The New Africa Foundation has launched an innovative learning initiative to encourage university students to be entrepreneurs, foster leadership and create wealth. The initiative, christened: ' The University Challenge', is a 10-13 week inter-university competition designed to recruit brains from selected universities across the country to brainstorm and execute solutions to real life challenges in society. The concept is to encourage students to embark on business ventures before completing their degree certificates, a statement from the Foundation to the Ghana News Agency, said. 'The initiative is expected to promote the establishment of a comprehensive network platform across all universities, allowing students to recognise the potential of their peers prior to degree acquisition,' the statement said. The initiative, the statement said, would encourage students to creatively build businesses and create a robust network within the university ecosystem. 'The Challenge spans beyond the traditional acade mic realm, extending from the development of effective governance structures to the establishment of thriving businesses and industrial platforms.' The statement said the initiative sought to redefine the purpose of higher education and empower students to become not just job-seekers, but creators of economic opportunities and leaders in their fields. Participants of the Challenge are to form a team of three or five to develop an incubator for theoretical solutions and apply them to real world problems. A participant must be a student of any of the selected schools working with the Foundation and selected by the scouting team as an eligible candidate during the casting sessions. 'Participant must be smart, entrepreneurial, solutions oriented, a team player, and a leader, and be selected amongst the top five to earn a spot in the team which will represent the school,' the statement said. Prospective participants are to follow Challenge on social media, or look out for information on the casting sessions i n their schools. They are also to join the auditions, impress the scouts and win their spot on the school team. The statement said an amount of GHc 50,000 mobilisation funds would be allocated to each team, with a justification of the use of the money. The prize money for the winner of the competition is GHc 1,000,000.00. The competitors would have the opportunity to do their incubation or internships with the Foundation. Source: Ghana News Agency WINDHOEK: Rössing Uranium on Monday handed over a donation of 400 school bags filled with stationery to Tsumkwe Senior Secondary School as part of the Women in Media (WiM) Tsumkwe outreach initiative. During the handover ceremony, Rössing Uranium Corporate Communication Manager Daylight Ekandjo said preparations for the donation had been underway since last year. Rössing Uranium pledged N.dollars 250 000 towards the initiative in response to a request from Women in Media. 'We acknowledge the challenges faced by learners, teachers, and the community of Tsumkwe. It is in the face of challenges that resilience is forged, and it is our hope that these school bags and stationery will alleviate some of the burdens, enabling our future employees to focus on their studies and aspire to greater heights. This donation today is a small contribution towards a collective goal. It reflects our belief in the potential of the young minds of Tsumkwe and our commitment to fostering educational opportunities in the communitie s where we live, work and beyond,' she said. Ekandjo also extended gratitude to Women in Media for the partnership. 'It is through such partnerships that we can create a lasting impact, ensuring that every child receives the education they deserve,' Ekandjo said. Women in Media founder Limba Mupetami thanked Rössing Uranium for joining forces with WiM and for their contribution. School principal Christof Ngavetene also extended his gratitude to Rössing Uranium for the donation. Source: The Namibia Press Agency