Category: Literacy

Mr Kwamina Asomaning, Chief Executive of Stanbic Bank Ghana, has advised that the country's academic curriculum be designed to meet the needs of industry players. Mr Asomaning underscored the importance of ensuring that the curriculum was in line with the needs of industry players to ensure that students were equipped to make positive contributions in the professional space. The Chief Executive made the call at the launch of Academics, Business and Administration Forum (ABAF) in Accra. 'At Stanbic Bank, we currently collaborate with some American universities to address industry needs. 'They send their students to us to elicit key challenges that need solutions. These are then factored into the training that the schools offer their students. 'The projects address specific business or management issues with the students assigned to projects based on their interests, qualifications, and experience,' he said. He said 'while the students gained invaluable practical international experience, we received high -quality professional consulting services under faculty supervision. Is it possible for academia in Ghana to adopt such an initiative?' Mr Asomaning commended the organisers for the initiative and encouraged them in their efforts to raise future-ready students. 'I want to emphasise the importance of involving students and youth in our discussions. They are the innovators of our country, and their voices and perspectives are invaluable. Let's create opportunities for them to learn, grow, and contribute to our collective effort.' Stanbic Bank over the years has shown support to academia through various initiatives. Last year, the Bank donated 50 laptops to the University of Ghana in support of the Vice Chancellor's 'One Student One Laptop' initiative. The Bank collaborated with the 'Women in STEM Ghana' to train, equip and inspire 200 girls from 23 senior high schools to learn and develop their skills and knowledge in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Many other educational institutions ha ve benefited from the Bank's STEM-focused interventions, including KNUST, Takoradi Technical University, Sunyani School of Professional Studies, and the Blessed Holy Child Academy. ABAF is a platform dedicated to the promotion of synergies between academia and industry for effective development. Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Kwamina Asomaning, Chief Executive of Stanbic Bank Ghana, has advised that the country's academic curriculum be designed to meet the needs of industry players. Mr Asomaning underscored the importance of ensuring that the curriculum was in line with the needs of industry players to ensure that students were equipped to make positive contributions in the professional space. The Chief Executive made the call at the launch of Academics, Business and Administration Forum (ABAF) in Accra. 'At Stanbic Bank, we currently collaborate with some American universities to address industry needs. 'They send their students to us to elicit key challenges that need solutions. These are then factored into the training that the schools offer their students. 'The projects address specific business or management issues with the students assigned to projects based on their interests, qualifications, and experience,' he said. He said 'while the students gained invaluable practical international experience, we received high -quality professional consulting services under faculty supervision. Is it possible for academia in Ghana to adopt such an initiative?' Mr Asomaning commended the organisers for the initiative and encouraged them in their efforts to raise future-ready students. 'I want to emphasise the importance of involving students and youth in our discussions. They are the innovators of our country, and their voices and perspectives are invaluable. Let's create opportunities for them to learn, grow, and contribute to our collective effort.' Stanbic Bank over the years has shown support to academia through various initiatives. Last year, the Bank donated 50 laptops to the University of Ghana in support of the Vice Chancellor's 'One Student One Laptop' initiative. The Bank collaborated with the 'Women in STEM Ghana' to train, equip and inspire 200 girls from 23 senior high schools to learn and develop their skills and knowledge in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Many other educational institutions ha ve benefited from the Bank's STEM-focused interventions, including KNUST, Takoradi Technical University, Sunyani School of Professional Studies, and the Blessed Holy Child Academy. ABAF is a platform dedicated to the promotion of synergies between academia and industry for effective development. Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr William Kwaku Chamamim, the Assemblyman for Nkwanta West electoral area in the Nkwanta South Municipality of the Oti Region has urged candidates preparing for their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) to take their lessons seriously as the time approaches. Mr Chamamin, who is also the head teacher of Nkwanta M/A Basic School in view of the recent conflict in the Nkwanta South Municipality, to catch up on the lost time. He has pledged to ensure that the education of the final year Junior High School pupils was not disrupted further. He, however, has organised vacation classes for the candidates within Nkwanta township to help them catch up with the academic syllabus, which was interrupted by the ethnic conflict in the area. The classes held at Nkwanta M/A JHS 'A' school premises are free and open to all BECE candidates in the area. Mr Chamamin said the volunteer teachers and educationists have availed themselves to provide extra support and guidance to the pupils. He continued that the init iative has been well-received by both parents and the students as well, because the turnout was encouraging even despite the security challenges they are facing in the area. The Assemblyman cum Headteacher remains committed to supporting the education of the students in the area and ensuring that they have the necessary resources needed to excel in their final exams. He, however, urged parents to provide their wards with the necessary learning materials during the period to ensure candidates adequately prepared for their final exams. 'I hope that these holiday classes will not only help the students perform well in the upcoming examination but also instill in them the love for learning and determination to succeed. Some of the students expressed their profound gratitude to the Assemblyman for providing them with opportunity to enhance their learning skills. They finally promised to make good use of the classes in their final exams. Source: Ghana News Agency

Khomas Regional Council (KRC) on Monday signed a Workplan with a delegation from the Jiangsu province of China on essential priority targeted areas of the existing twinning partnership. The delegation headed by China's Ambassador to Namibia, Zhao Wei Ping and the Vice Governor of Jiangsu Provincial, Ma Xin, hailed Khomas Governor Laura-McLeod Katjirua, as the founder and principal orchestrator of Khomas region and Jiangsu province partnership which has culminated in the signing of the work plan. In June 2015 the KRC and Jiangsu Province signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which later translated into another agreement signed between the KRC and the Standing Committee of Jiangsu Provincial People's Congress on 20 October 2023, leading up to the monumental signing of the Work plan between the twin cities on this day. Speaking at the signing ceremony, KRC Chairperson Shaalukeni Moonde said 'The signing of the Workplan is consequent to recognizing the tangible impact of the existing cooperation to the t wo nations and institutions, based on equality and mutual benefits, to promote two-way exchange.' As per the signed agreement, the Workplan acknowledges the extreme need to accelerate progress in friendly people-to-people contacts and cooperation, in the fields of science, technology, education, culture, sports, health, trade and investment, agriculture, investment, environment protection, tourism and human resources. In her address, McLeod-Katjirua acknowledged that the previously signed agreements put the singing of the work plan in motion, 'it is these two signed agreements that gave us the legitimate authority and absolute mandate to sign this envisaged five-year work plan to make our twinning partnership a more active and relevant force for our present and future development challenges as partners.' McLeod-Katjirua further called on the administrators of the Work plan to keep the wheel moving in the right direction and the leading agents of the sectoral partnership, to make the fruits of their ties of partnership more visible, alive and tangible to motivate or encourage others to emulate and to see the strength of this Khomas /Jiangsu partnership. Source: The Namibia Press Agency

The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Seth Kwame Acheampong, has praised the management of the Takoradi Technical University for the audacious decision to adopt Education, which encapsulates teaching, research, community service, innovation, and industrialization. He said the University should develop programmes in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and advanced manufacturing to prepare students for the jobs of the future and ensure that they were well-equipped to contribute to the global economy. 'These are the things that will make 'our TTU' continuously visible and relevant, the Minister, an alumnus of the TTU said when he delivered the key notes address during the official launch of the 70th anniversary celebrations of the school. It is under the theme: '70 years of Societal Relevance; Projecting Excellences and Innovation in Technical and Vocational Education and Training.' In addition to expanding its programmes offerings, TTU should also focus on increasing its research initiat ives to drive innovation and contribute to national development, especially in environmental sustainability as such research areas attracted lots of grants from international organisations. The University must also Invest in state-of-the-art facilities and equipment to support cutting-edge research in areas such as sustainable development, technology transfer, and entrepreneurship. He noted, 'As an alumnus, I am proud to see how far TTU has come in promoting inclusivity and providing support for students with disabilities. The establishment of the Disability Support Services Unit is a testament to the University's commitment to ensuring that all students have equal opportunities to excel in their studies.' He said the TTU must remain steadfast in upholding a strong commitment to excellence, ensuring that students received quality education that prepared them for success in their chosen careers; and promoting a culture of integrity, emphasizing ethical behaviour, honesty, and accountability among students, faculty, and staff. The University, originally established as a Technical Institute in 1954, had evolved over the years to become a Polytechnic in 1992 through a constitutional instrument and eventually a Technical University in 2016 through an act of Parliament with a rich history of providing quality technical education and practical training to students, which has helped in producing a skilled workforce that has contributed significantly to the development of Ghana. He said since Its Polytechnic day till date, TTU has been at the forefront of promoting technological innovation and industrial growth with its graduates playing key roles in various industries such as oil and gas, manufacturing, construction, arts, hospitality, entrepreneurship, and telecommunications, contributing to the economic development of the country. The Eastern Regional Minister said TTU had also been actively involved in community development projects, providing technical expertise and training to local communities to improve upon their living standards and quality of life as well as a strong partnerships across the globe to promote research and development in various technical fields. Additionally, community service must remain a core value with the Institution actively engaging the local community through projects, collaborations, and outreach initiatives. Also, one of the conspicuous achievements of TTU, is the recognition of its alumni for their exceptional contributions in the world of work. Mr. Acheampong added that the implementation of the Programmes Advisory Committee (PAC) systems where key players of industry work directly with various Academic Departments of the University, to provide critical advice on improving curricular, modern industrial practices and procedures and identifying appropriate inputs and logistics to improve teaching and learning that fits contemporary needs of industry was laudable. He encouraged the TTU to continue to work tirelessly to promote hands-on learning through practical training and interns hips, allowing students to apply their knowledge in real-world settings. This practical experience is invaluable in helping students develop the problem-solving and critical thinking skills needed to succeed in today's dynamic and fast-paced work environment. He urged all stakeholders of the University to do everything within their power to ensure that in the next 70 years, TTU would remain a leading institution for technical and vocational education in Ghana and beyond. Mrs. Felicia Okai, the Western Regional Director of Education, who read the Minister of Education's speech, alluded to the valuable contributions the university had made in the provisions of Technical and vocational education and training. ' For a period of seven decades, the institution has nurtured countless minds by empowering them with knowledge, skills, and fashioned characters as encapsulate in your motto: 'Adwen, Akoma, na nsa mma mpuntu' and the 70th anniversary of TTU, should serve as a pivotal moments in the mandate of providing education as we confront the challenges and opportunities by technological advancement and globalization.' She urged the University to strive to open opportunities to more students and expand the offer beyond the speech and hearing impaired. The Director called on the alumni to contribute their quota to add to the efforts of the government in the provision of infrastructure to create an enabling environment for the use of the university. The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, congratulated the University for the milestone and pledged the Regional Coordinating support to the University to create critical mindset with abilities to solve societal problems. The 70th anniversary celebrations would have activities in Health, Sanitation, Sports, community services and engagement with industry leads among others. Source: Ghana News Agency