Category: Education

Mr David Odjidja, Headmaster of Presbyterian Boys' Senior High School (Presec), Legon, has appealed to the Ministry of Education to change the school's electricity meter from prepaid to postpaid. The Headmaster said the prepaid system was 'financially' difficult for the school and appealed for a postpaid metre where they could use electricity and pay later when they received funds from the Government. 'Keeping the lights on is expensive for us. We don't receive funds to buy the credit, because we must buy the credit ourselves, and then accumulate the receipts to redeem payment from the Ministry of Education. 'As an educational institution using a prepaid metre? is worrying because the light can go off anytime and if you don't have money to buy electricity then you cannot get power to use in the school,' he said. Mr Odjidja made the appeal at Presec's 85th Anniversary Speech and Prize Giving Day. The Headmaster also appealed for furniture, particularly desks, in some of its classrooms due to the increasi ng number of students. He said some students stand during lessons or use dining hall benches due to inadequate furniture. Mr Odjidja added that some dormitories were congested and called for more dormitories. Meanwhile, Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, a Deputy Minister of Education, together with Right Reverend Professor Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, commissioned a new six-science laboratory building complex for the school on the sidelines of the event. The building was established by the Education Ministry together with the Presbyterian Church. Rev. Ntim Fordjour said the Government was committed to expanding science education in schools to ensure that it met its 25 per cent science enrollment target. He said: 'The best investment any country can make is to build the competencies and skills set of its youth making them change agents and drivers of social change and development.' 'This is exactly what we are doing with the Government's educational agenda to buil d our students with competencies and skills set to make them creative and problem-solving through modern science education,' he added. Academic and meritorious awards and prizes were presented to deserving students and staff on the day. Some of the awards included awards for best students in subject areas, outstanding students in 2022 WASSCE, National Science and Maths Quiz winners, and best students in sports. The teaching and non-teaching staff of the school were also rewarded for their long service and commitment to duty. The 1998-year group of the school constructed a new ceremonial ground as their legacy project for the school. Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr John Ntim Fordjour, Deputy Minister of Education, has called on graduates to embrace success with humility, integrity, and commitment to make a difference. He said the world was changing at an unprecedented pace, and that it was essential to stay ahead of change to provide students with the best possible education. 'The challenges of tomorrow demand adaptable, visionary, and resilient individuals, and constantly re-evaluating our programmes and making sure that they are in line with the latest industry trends and demands,' he added. The Deputy Minister made the call in a speech read on his behalf by Professor Yayra Dzakadzie, Deputy Director of Ghana Tertiary Education Commission at the graduation ceremony of the Nobel International Business School (NiBS) in Accra. The ceremony, which was on the theme, 'Creating Tomorrow's Workforce,' saw graduates offer the Executive Master of Business Administration and Certified Strategy Professionals Programmes and induction of the Certified Innovation Professiona ls. Mr Ntim Fordjour said it was important to adapt to programmes and courses to suit the current global environment, for students to be equipped with the skills they needed to succeed in today's economy. 'The world is changing fast, therefore, there is a need to develop the Ghanaian learner in this 21st century to become a global citizen through creativity and innovation,' he added. He said the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Ministry of Information's STEM promotion roadshows aimed at creating awareness about the significance of STEM education and inspired students to pursue careers in this field. The Deputy Minister said the initiative aligned with the government's commitment to advancing STEM education in the country and ensuring that students were equipped with the skills necessary for success in the digital age. He said Ghana's Gross Tertiary Enrolment Ratio (GTER) currently stood at 20 per cent, which was significantly below the Education Strategic Plan target of 40 per cent by 203 0. Mr Ntim Fordjour said studies showed that about 60 per cent of Gross Domestic Products in developed countries was mostly contributed by the workforce with some form of Tertiary Education. 'The Government is committed to increasing Ghana's GTER from our current 20 per cent to 40 per cent by 2030,' he stressed. The Deputy Minister, therefore, congratulated the graduates upon reaching that significant milestone, adding that, 'as you move forward, may you continue to embody excellence, integrity, and a relentless pursuit of greatness.' Professor Kwaku Attuahene-Gima, Executive Dean and President of NiBS, said the programmes had been designed to upskill and reskill executives. 'The world is changing so fast that increasingly when you finish a degree, it becomes obsolete because of changes in the environment, that is why we built these programmes to upskill and reskill executives in order for them to be continuously relevant,' he added. The Executive Dean said there was a need for countries to have creativ e and innovative thinkers because without these, 'countries will always follow people with the loudest voices.' Ms Simone Giger, Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, said in an era of information overload and rapid technological advancement, the ability to think critically had become more crucial than ever. She added that it formed the foundation for understanding the world, solving intricate problems, and making informed decisions. The Ambassador said?the ability to collaborate, communicate effectively, and deal with diverse perspectives was vital for a society that was increasingly interconnected and interdependent. She said the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) implied that many of the tasks that required human brainpower in the past would eventually be taken over by machines. 'In order to set ourselves apart from AI, common sense, emotional intelligence and social skills will become essential ingredients for any successful career,' she added. 'Dear graduates, strive not just for comfort in current knowledg e but aim to pursue what is relevant for tomorrow, your training is not the end in itself but a qualification to commence your pursuit of excellence, continuous learning is no longer a luxury but a necessity,' she stressed. Source: Ghana News Agency

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has emphasised the importance for the Government and other stakeholders in education to create an enabling environment and entrepreneurial avenues in Ghana for young university graduates to stay and work. He said the current situation where energetic young Ghanaian graduates were compelled to move in droves to seek greener pastures abroad, posed a serious threat to the future of the country. Otumfuo Osei Tutu said human migration was not inherently negative but the current situation where professionals like nurses, doctors, and teachers left for promising opportunities abroad was a challenge. 'It is equally critical to know that if this phenomenon remains unchecked, it poses a huge threat to our future generations. The departure of our potential leaders who should be actively contributing to the growth and development of our country raises a challenge,' he said. Otumfuo Osei Tutu, also the Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), said this in an address to climax the 57th Congregation of the University, graced by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia. 'We must collectively work to transform our country into an entire strong and compelling nation for our youth to stay and work,' he said. 'To achieve this, it is important for the Government and stakeholders in education to embark on innovative strategies aimed at creating an effective environment and entrepreneurial avenues to facilitate job creation to help retain our young graduates.' Otumfuo Osei Tutu implored all stakeholders to aggressively continue the fight against illegal mining activities in the country. 'Whenever I speak, I am compelled to denounce this disruptive practice of 'galamsey,' though the Government has achieved some level of success, but it is still a problem that has created severe damage to our lands and water bodies.' 'Not too long ago, I am sure you all heard what I did to people from my kingdom who were involved in illegal mining activities.' 'I would like t he Government to reciprocate this action to restore the country's natural resources.' Vice President Dr Bawumia said the digitisation agenda, which the Government was aggressively pursuing, was the way to go to transform the nation.? He said from December this year, newborn babies would receive their Ghana cards at birth. The Vice President said the Government would continue to improve teaching and learning, especially in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. He commended the KNUST for its leadership role in science and technology education, adding the Government would work to ensure the early completion of the University Teaching Hospital to enhance practical education and training in health. Professor Mrs Rita Akosua Dickson, Vice Chancellor of KNUST, said a total of 17,437 students graduated this year. Out of that number, 13,170 were undergraduates and 4,267 were post-graduate students. She said the University would continue to play its role effectively to train the needed h uman resources in engineering, health, science, technology and other areas to speed up the nation's development. Source: Ghana News Agency

The All Nations University is set to enrol students for a 4-year bachelor's degree programme in Emergency Medicine Technology in the next academic year. The emergency medicine technology is described as a medical specialty that trains people to diagnose, treat, and manage acute illnesses and injuries which require immediate medical intervention. Dr. Samuel Donkor, Founder and President of All Nations University (ANU), announced during the university's 30th graduation ceremony, that 258 undergraduates and 57 master students graduated. According to him, the new degree programme would be the first in West Africa aimed at bridging the gap in pre-hospital care, a critical component for emergencies. 'The longer one waits to go to the hospital, the less likely to survive emergencies, including heart attacks and strokes.' While applauding Ghana's healthcare system for improving access to care and health outcomes, he said 'A well-trained emergency medical workforce can help streamline the healthcare system by re ducing overcrowding in emergency departments and allowing for smooth transition from the scene of an emergency to the hospital.' He stated plans were advanced to begin a degree programme in food technology to support the laudable planting for food programme. This programme, according to him, would concentrate on 'science and technology in the fields of food production, processing, preservation, food safety and quality control. The university's Space Systems Technology Laboratory (SSTL) initiated a space education revolutionizing project called the African Space Station Project with the goal of promoting space education in Africa. Source: Ghana News Agency

Twenty-three students of the West African Centre for Water, Irrigation and Sustainable Agriculture (WACWISA)-University for Development Studies (UDS), from seven African countries, have graduated with various degrees during the university's 24th congregation, held in Tamale. They included two PhD, and 21 Master's Degree students from Benin, DR Congo, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria Rwanda, and Uganda. The graduation ceremony was graced by Professor Ahmed Abdulai Jinapor, Acting Director-General of Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Mr Rurangwa Theophile, Deputy High Commissioner of Rwanda to Ghana, Alhaji Shani Alhassan Saibu, Northern Regional Minister, and Mr Yidana Zakaria, North East Regional Minister. Professor Felix Kofi Abagale, Director of WACWISA-UDS, interacting with the graduates after the ceremony, expressed excitement at their feat, saying WACWISA was proud working with them, and supporting human capacity development. Professor Abagale encouraged the graduates not to relent on their efforts in innovation and research, aimed at supporting and contributing to addressing challenges associated with agriculture, climate change, food security and development in Africa. Whilst thanking the staff of WACWISA as well as the various university stakeholders for their continued support, Professor Abagale expressed appreciation to funding agencies, partners and collaborators of the Centre, including the Government of Ghana, World Bank, Association of African Universities, GTEC, Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNIDO, EU, GIZ, IRD/AFD, JICA amongst others. He underscored the need to strengthen the collaborations and further support for research and capacity building. With funding support from the World Bank and the Government of Ghana, WACWISA was established in 2019 by the UDS as a semi-autonomous Centre of Excellence to undertake cutting-edge research and training in irrigation, drainage, water resources management, sustainable agriculture, climate change and food and nutrition security. The Centre, w hose tagline is 'Building Capacities for Sustainable Solutions' has since provided scholarships to more than 100 scholars for Master's and PhD studies as well as trained over 500 individuals in the form of short courses and facilitating access to modern laboratory and field research facilities for the conduct of cutting-edge research in its thematic areas. Source: Ghana News Agency