The Archbishop Porter Girls School, in collaboration with Archbishop Porter Girls Students Association, has held a symposium to educate parents and stakeholders on the fallen standards of discipline in Ghana.

The event, which was under the theme: Discipline in Ghana’s educational institutions past, present and future: impact on growth and development” forms part of the 50^th anniversary celebrations of the school.

Speaking at the event, the Headmistress of the school, Mrs Mary Armah Brako said it is an important aspect of the institution and management of the school to prepare students to observe rules and regulations that will help them become

She said discipline is an important aspect of the institution and the school management as it prepares student to uphold integrity.

“Inculcate moral values in students. It is the principle on which any idea in society rises. In schools students are granted some inalienable rights but they must not misinterpret their freedom to mean they can do what they like.”

Mrs Brako said it is impossible to work and achieve success in an indiscipline environment as discipline is an orderly behaviour for the attainment of institutional goals.

“Without discipline no educational as well as institutional sectors can prosper which therefore makes it imperative for such institutions to abide by and follow to the letter.”

For his part, Professor Kwame Karikari, Lecturer at the School of Communications Studies, Legon, said the problem of indiscipline has nothing to do with any child, student and institute but rather the leadership of the country.

Prof. Karikari said it is necessary for disciplinary methods to be reviewed to get people to do the right thing.

He urged people to tell the truth and be honest with themselves since the current system does not make people to tell the truth.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Tertiary Education, has said the conversion of the 10 polytechnics into technical universities is not a re-branding activity.

“This is not a rebranding exercise being undertaken by the Ministry, or an action to mimic the traditional universities, but a move to ensure hands down training and skills acquisition to meet the current needs of industry as a measure to accelerate the country’s economic growth.”

This year’s Annual Delegates Congress is under the theme: ‘Conversion of Polytechnics to Technical Universities: A Vehicle to accelerate Industrialization in Ghana.’

The Deputy Minister said technical experts had already travelled to Germany to pick up information on best practices on how such universities were running in that country, and its overall benefits to industry and economic growth.

Mr. Ablakwa mentioned that to achieve economic transformation, the mandate of polytechnics which is mainly skills-driven, should play a lead role, adding, “we are refocusing, evaluating and re-strategizing Polytechnic education” to build a strong industrial base for development.

To this effect, a validation workshop had been organized on the report of the technical experts and a government white paper issued on the recommendations.

The Deputy Minister In charge of Tertiary Education said the proposed conversion would require eligible polytechnics to have two faculties in a given department with four bachelor of technology programmes running, which called for re-thinking into institutional arrangement.

Another recommendation was the need for a radical staff development programme to the PHD level.

Currently, there are about 80 PHD holders in the country’s Polytechnics, and 1, 386 Master Degree holders with such lecturers having a minimum of five years’ experience in industry.
The Polytechnics are also to have Memoranda of Understanding between them and some selected industries.

Another significant component of the process would be the amendment of the Act that established Polytechnics across the country, and the introduction of a new law to regulate the sector before the eventual take-off in September 2016.

Mr. Lawrence Sarpong, National President of GNUPS, called for deliberate industrialization plan and effective resourcing of these technical training institutions to produce the needed manpower for the country.

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Source: GNA

The GNPC Oil and Gas Learning Foundation (GNPC-OGLF), has granted scholarship to 46 Ghanaians to study programmes relevant to the oil and gas industry for the 2015/2016 academic year.

The beneficiaries, who constitute the fourth batch of students to be sponsored by the GNPC–OGLF to study abroad, are made up of 34 males and 12 females.

Of the number, 13 will be studying geosciences, 13 petroleum engineering, eight other engineering sciences and 12 petro-business programmes, all at the Master’s Level.

She further urged them to return home after their study to serve mother Ghana.

Mr. Alex Mould, the Chief Executive Officer of GNPC, assured the beneficiaries that on their return home after studies; the Corporation would assist them to have internship within the oil and gas industry as part of building their capacities for the job market.

He also advised them to study hard, be worthy ambassadors to the nation and to return home after studies to serve the nation.

Prof Thomas Akabzaa, the Chief Director of Petroleum Ministry, said the GNPC-OGLF programme was in line with the Ministry’s policy of building capacities of Ghanaians in the sector to ensure its sustainable management.

Pastor Andrew K. L. Badoo, the Executive Secretary of the GNPC-OGLF, observed that so far 99.9 per cent of beneficiaries who had completed their studies had returned home to work.

He said those who were yet to return home were still having their internship programmes with some international oil and gas entities, which are currently operating in Ghana.

He said under the scholarship scheme, beneficiaries were required to return home after their studies to serve for at least two years.

Ms Adobea Quayson, a beneficiary, and another colleague, expressed gratitude to GNPC-OGLF for the honour done them.

She promised that they would study hard, come out with distinction and would return home to serve mother Ghana.

Other members present at the reception were Mrs. Alexandra Amoako-Mensah, First Ghanaian Female Geologist and a member of the Council as well as Mr. Kyeretwie Opoku, a Board Member of GNPC and Mr. Thomas Manu, Director of Operations at GNPC.

The GNPC –OGLF was established in 2012, by the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) to give focus to its objective of ensuring the training of citizens of Ghana and the development of national capabilities in all aspects of petroleum operations.

The Foundation provides scholarships to eligible Ghanaians to research into and study programmes relevant to the oil and gas industry.  This will help build the supply base of qualified professionals for the petroleum industry in Ghana.

The Foundation has for three academic years (2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015) sponsored 89 Ghanaians towards building their capacity for the indigenous oil and gas industry in Ghana.

The addition of the 2015/2016 batch brings the total number of beneficiaries to 135; of which 80 are males and 55 females.

The academic discipline/skills categories range from Geoscience/Science; Petroleum Engineering; Health, Safety and Environment, to Petro Business/Commercial.

GNPC has so far invested $ 6 million in the Foundation, and beneficiaries have been sponsored through the various programmes at both local and international institutions in Ghana, United States of America; Canada; United Kingdom; France; Italy; Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The Foundation envisages that in future, the education and training required at the masters’ degree levels for the critical skills/professions currently in short supply would be available in the local universities, particularly through the collaborative efforts between the local universities and their foreign counterparts.

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Credit: GNA

Sexual activeness among basic school girls in the Ashanti Region has led to many of them getting pregnant and their academic dreams shattered.

Mrs. Emma Awateng-Mensah, the Regional Girls’ Education Officer, termed the situation as deeply disturbing and said every effort must be made to tackle it head-on.

These are teenage girls from 13 and 16 years and the situation should give cause for everybody to worry, she said.

Mrs. Awateng-Mensah blamed irresponsible parenting for what is happening, saying, parents need to be vigilant and spend quality time with the adolescent girls in counseling them.

She asked parents to shield their children from bad peer influence and follow with keen interest whatever they do on the internet, chat platforms and on the mobile phone.

“Nobody should discount the powerful influence that movies and television programmes meant for adults could have on children – the curiosity and the tendency to practice what they see.”

She said as part of measures by the Ghana Education Service (GES) to reverse the trend, girls’ clubs are being formed in basic and senior high schools in the region to provide the pupils with adequate sex education, build their self-esteem and actively engage them to put their time to profitable use.

Mrs. Awateng-Mensah appealed to community leaders and other stakeholders to combine efforts to promote girl-child education and discourage them from early sex.

She encouraged teenage mothers to take advantage of the system introduced by the GES, which gives opportunity for their re-entry into the school system to complete their basic education and climb further the educational ladder.
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Credit: GNA

Send-Ghana, a social enterprise and advocacy organisation, has called on the government to develop measures to improve the country’s education sector.

According to the organisation, the government has over the years concentrated much on donor support for the funding of the sector, a development which it says is not advisable.

The Programme Officer of Send-Ghana, Mrs Harriet Agyemang, made the call at a stakeholders discussion on the annual budgets and expenditure of the country’s education sector in Accra.

The forum, which was organised by SEND-Ghana in collaboration with the African Centre for Energy and Policy (ACEP), with funding from EDIF-Ghana, brought together officials from the Ministry of Education (MoE), the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to discuss how to strengthen the country’s educational sector.

Mrs Agyemang observed that donor funding was going down, hence, the need for the government to explore other areas locally to mobilise resources to develop the sector.

Mrs Agyemang revealed that budget allocation increased from GH¢1.7 billion in 2010 to GH¢5.8 billion in 2014, while in 2015, GH¢6.7 billion, representing 21 per cent of the national budget, was allocated to the education sector.

She said the 2015 budget showed that 73 per cent of the overall sector budget was earmarked for wages and salaries, and that no funds had been spent on assets. She indicated that notwithstanding the increase in financial allocations, the sector was consistently constrained in the implementation of policies and strategies due to limited investments.

She said budget planning and execution were sometimes inconsistent, along with weak monitoring systems that did not provide timely information on the impact of expenditure.

Mrs Agyemang said it was essential for the government to increase its financial commitments to assets, goods and services to address the infrastructural deficits which hindered access to education.

“We urge government to fulfil conditions associated with grants before and during implementation to avert stalling educational projects,” she said.

She also said the government should improve on the content of the budget statement by providing sufficient details in the presentation of information.

Mrs Agyemang, therefore, appealed to the government to make adequate budgetary allocation for the education sector in the 2016 budget.

The Head of Policy Unit of the Africa Centre for Energy Policy, Mr Ishmael Ackah, stated that the revenue generated from viable sectors (such as the oil sector) could not cater for all the shortfalls in the educational sector.

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Source: Graphic Online 

SEND-Ghana, a social advocacy organization, has called on government to take a critical look at the inflation trends on the capitation grants and review upwards its rates by at least 50 per cent.

Mrs. Harriet Agyemang, a Programme Officer, SEND-Ghana speaking at a stakeholder forum on the annual budgets and expenditure of the educational sector, said government should also review the targeting policy for the school feeding programme to ensure that only needy children were fed.

The study assessed the outcome of the implementation of the budget and provided recommendation to the sector.

She urged government to increase its financial commitment for assets, and goods and services by investing at least 35 per cent of the budget in these budget items.

The Programme Officer said to address infrastructural deficit and provide equal opportunity for all children, government should utilize all funds from the education sector’s share of the oil revenue for this development.

She also called on government to introduce standards to compel private schools to hire trained teachers and retain existing staff, given the critical role of private pre-schools in laying the education foundation for children.

Mrs. Agyemang said government should improve on the content of the budget statement, by providing sufficient details in the presentation of information as well as limit changes in the style of presentation especially on the appendixes to make it user friendly.

Mr. Ishmael Ackah, the Head of Policy Unit, African Centre for Energy Policy, ACEP, urged government to prioritize the use of the oil revenue to finance capital investment in education.

He said there should be a comprehensive accountability mechanism such as a defined formula for oil revenue allocation and this should follow an investment plan with effective tracking mechanism.

“Government should also strengthen the District education oversight committees to monitor oil funded projects,” he added.
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Credit: GNA

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has underscored the need for Government to ensure that the country attains quality education status.

Speaking at the 11th National Delegate Conference of NAGRAT held in Bolgatanga, the National President of NAGRAT, Mr Christian Addai-Poku, said Ghana’s commitment and performance in the Millennium Development Goals has been hailed by the international community for achieving an access rate of 96 per cent and completion rate of 70 per cent but missed the quality education target.

He said whilst NAGRAT commends Government for the inclusion of quality education in the Sustainable Development Goals to be finalized in New York this year, there is the urgent need for the executive to renew its commitment to funding a 21st century education in Ghana.

Mr. Addai-Poku said class four pupils in these countries are capable of doing power point presentation.

He said overcrowding of students in classrooms and the sitting arrangements in the form of theatre are some of the challenges confronting the achievement of quality education in Ghana.

“It is equally important to ensure that adequate numbers of well-trained motivated teachers are posted to our schools to help deliver quality education. Teachers should not only be trained but be re-trained from time to time to help keep them abreast with modern best practices,” the President stressed.

Delivering a keynote address on the theme “Protecting the Integrity of Examination, If not us who then”, the Bishop of the Navrongo –Bolgatanga Catholic Diocese , Most Reverend Alfred Agente, blamed the problem not only on the staff of West African Examination Council, WAEC, but also some teachers and parents and called for stiffer punishment for the culprits.

He noted that if the problem is not addressed quickly, it would not only lead to the grooming of the youth to adopt selfish and wrongful means of achieving their goals in the society, but would also affect the quality of the human resource base of the country.

In a speech read on his behalf, the Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. James Tiigah Zugaah, commended NAGRAT for complementing government’s efforts at education delivery, and entreated the Association to be more circumspect in making demands from government.
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Credit: GNA

The Acting Port Health Officer in Aflao, William Korletey has called on government to make use of the unemployed Environmental Health graduates in the country, by deploying them to basic schools to teach Environmental Education to improve on health and sanitation in the country.

In an interview with Citi News, Mr. William korletey opined that government and other relevant stakeholders should take advantage of the available human resources and integrate environmental education in the current curriculum of Basic Education to introduce the youth to the relevant concept and practices.

This according to him would not only increase environmental awareness and promote good health and sanitation in the country but also help connect the skills and knowledge of the health officers.

“We have a lot of environmental health officers who have completed their courses but have not been appointed. If the we can put those people to primary schools and JHS and then be teaching students on health and sanitation, I think we can do this country a good in the next ten years,” he said.

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By: King Norbert Akpablie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The Coalition of Concerned Teachers of Ghana (CCT-GHANA) has expressed grave concerns over government’s delay in the release of feeding grants to Assisted Second Cycle institutions in the country.

In a press statement signed by the Upper West Regional Chairman of the Coalition, Alhassan Salifu Abdallah, the group said the situation is impacting negatively on teaching and learning in the three regions of the north.

“It is regrettable to note that with barely a week to the reopening of Senior High Schools to begin the 2015/2016 academic year, the fate of assisted SHSs is uncertain because government has again failed to pay their feeding grants”

Citi News checks indicate that government owes Assisted Second Cycle institutions the entire grants for the first and third terms of the 2014/15 academic year.

This, the coalition described as “a needles ritual” that is affecting secondary education in the poverty plagued northern regions of Ghana.

They appealed to government and all stakeholders in the education sector to urgently find a lasting solution to the problem.

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By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/Citifmonline.com/Ghana

An educationist, Professor Jerome S. Djangma, has declared the Junior High School (JHS) system which was introduced in 1974 and fully implemented in 1986, as the weakest link in Ghana’s educational system.

It was implemented alongside the Senior High School (SHS) system.

Professor Djangma, speaking as a guest on the ‘Time with the legend,’ a segment on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, said the JHS and SHS systems which replaced the ‘O and A-Level education system, have not fully achieved their objectives.

The academician, who once served as the Chairman of the West African Examinations Council, (WAEC) and a Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, (GES) said, although there have been some improvements since the transformation, quality at the Junior High School level in particular remains the weakest link.

Proposing some solutions to improve that level of education, he said it is time for more university graduates to teach at the JHS level.

According to him, quality at the JHS level will automatically reflect at the SHS to produce better students for the tertiary level.

“… It is the weakest link in the sense that, it should been a programme being run by university graduates because in the past, some of the good schools had university graduates from form one all the way to form five. The JHS started with teacher trainees and not university graduates. By now, we should have university graduates teaching in the JHS. If we are able to do that, I think the standard will improve. At the moment in the top schools, we will say that there isn’t too much problems but majority of the schools are not doing well as they should.”

Commenting on the discrepancy in the performance between the public and private schools in rural and urban centers, Professor Djangma explained that the trend is merely a reflection of the social and economic diversity in the country.

“It’s a reflection of social and economic diversity because at the private school you pay for it. And you know that majority of Ghanaians are in the public school system where supervision, books and others are a problem and majority of the interventions that have been rolled out for education such as free lunch for selected schools are there to increase access but they are yet to have an effect on quality.”

Achieving quality education

Professor Djangma said if quality education is to be achieved, teachers’ capacity ought to improved, particularly at the basic level.

“Free education is a good thing but it is also equally important that quality must improve because if you don’t have quality, it simply means you even prolong the educational system and you still have problems of inadequacy, illiteracy, and numeracy amongst others. I am looking forward to the district assemblies; we should be able to strengthen education at the district assembly level where they can look after teachers much better, improve their conditions of service, sponsor them to upgrade and so on.”

Click below to listen to Prof. Djangma:

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By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The newly opened community Senior High School project at Otuam in the Central has been named after late President John Evans Atta Mills to honor him.

The completed school was named after the late president because of his passion in promoting education.

The edifice was inaugurated by President John Dramani Mahama on Thursday.

President Mahama also used the opportunity to launch the free SHS education policy across the nation.

With this, the NDC government will now progressively absorb the cost of secondary education in the country.

According to President Mahama, “the school would benefit the whole community especially those who are less advantaged.”

The project has 24 classrooms, 5 science laboratories, offices, computer laboratory, an assembly hall and other ancillary facilities.

It has also been connected to the national power grid and water.

The President also presented a cheque of GH¢12,178,544 to the Minister of Education for the commencement of the community based free SHS programme across the country.

A magnificent statue of the late John Mills was also unveiled to remind the people of his unparalleled legacies.

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 By: Akwasi Koranteng/citifmonoline.com/Ghana

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) said it has withheld results of 6,812 students who allegedly indulged in various malpractices in the 2015 Basic Education Certificate Examination pending investigations.

According to WAEC, “the withheld results will be released as soon as the Council concludes its investigations.”

The subjects were English Language 2, Religious and Moral Education 2, Science 2, and Mathematics 2 and Social Studies 2.

A new date was subsequently set for the re-sit of the cancelled papers.

BECE results released   

Meanwhile WAEC has released the provisional results of the June 2015 Basic Education Certificate Examination.

The council stated that it is in the process of dispatching the results to the schools through the Municipal District Directors of Education.

According to a press release issued by WAEC, a total of 437,942 candidates registered for the examination.

This figure represents a 3.55% increase in that of 2014.

 Out of the number 229,651 are males and 208,291 are  females.

A total of 1,886 candidates were absent.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) and the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) arethreatening to strike by the end of the month if government fails to pay all monies it owes the teachers.

The decision, according to the group follows government’s inability to meet a September 17 deadline to pay all outstanding debts it owed the teachers.

President of the Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Emmanuel Opoku in an interview with Citi News said letters have been sent to the education ministry and its allied agencies notifying them about the groups’ decision.

“Our ultimatum ended yesterday, as at yesterday we’ve not received any information from the Ministry of education or GES…today, we are sending a letter to Labour Commission, ministry of education and GES to inform them of our decision to declare a strike by the end of the month. We are also embarking on this decision being guided by the labour laws on strike action.” He said.

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By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Delegates of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) have elected Professor Edmond Delle as the party’s new National Chairman.

Professor Delle who went unopposed staged a comeback for the same position he left years ago.

The delegates also elected the party’s former Director of Communication, Nii Armah Akomfrah as General Secretary.

Nii Armah Akomfrah

He replaces Ivor Kobina Greenstreet who did not seek re-election.

Nii Armah Akromfrah beat favorite, James Kwabena Bonfeh also known as Kabila for the position.

Emmanuel Dogbozor and Ernesto Yeboah both won the National Organizer and National Youth Organiser positions respectively

Ernesto Yeboah

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By: Sammy Wiafe/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Ernst & Young, one of the UK’s biggest graduate recruiters, has announced it will be removing the degree classification from its entry criteria, saying there is “no evidence” success at university correlates with achievement in later life.

The accountancy firm is scrapping its policy of requiring a 2:1 and the equivalent of three B grades at A-level in order to open opportunities for talented individuals “regardless of their background”.

Maggie Stilwell, EY’s managing partner for talent, said the company would use online assessments to judge the potential of applicants.

“Our own internal research of over 400 graduates found that screening students based on academic performance alone was too blunt an approach to recruitment.

“It found no evidence to conclude that previous success in higher education correlated with future success in subsequent professional qualifications undertaken.”

The company offers 200 graduate-level jobs each year, making it the fifth largest recruiter of graduates in the UK. The changes will come into force in 2016.

Earlier this year, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) scrapped using UCAS points as entry criteria for its graduate scheme. The audit firm believes placing too much emphasis on the scores will mean employers may miss out on key talent from disadvantaged backgrounds, who can perform less well at school.

A report published last week revealed wealthy kids are 35% more likely to become high earners than clever, disadvantaged young people, even if they are not academically gifted.

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Source: Huffingtonpost

Representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs), teacher unions and directors of education drawn from Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions have kicked against the decentralisation of pre-tertiary education.

They have expressed fears that the attempt to fully decentralise the pre-tertiary education sector would result in the politicisation of the sector.

The representatives were speaking at a CSOs consultative meeting organised by the Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) and the Northern Network for Education Development with support from fhi360 and United States Agency for International Development in Tamale on Friday.

The meeting was to gather input of CSOs for the draft Education Bill 2015 to ensure that when passed into law, it would serve as the long-awaited vehicle for strengthening pre-tertiary education management, capable of producing the desired teaching and learning outcomes at both the basic and senior secondary levels.

The Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) has developed the Bill, which seeks to decentralise the pre-tertiary education system of the country by creating a Department of Education, Youth and Sports under the regional coordinating councils and the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies.

The Bill 2015 also seeks to reconcile the GES Act of 1995, (Act 506) and Education Act 0f 2008, (Act 778), which are said to be contradictory making it impossible to decentralise the pre-tertiary education system.

The representatives were drawn CSOs such as Integrated Social Development Centre, Action Aid Ghana, Ghana Developing Communities Association, Ghana National Association of Teachers and National Association of Graduate Teachers.

They argued that appointment of directors of education and teacher promotions under a decentralised system could be considered based on political inclinations, which would not augur well for improved education delivery.

They, therefore, called for measures to avoid politicisation of the system so as not to defeat the purpose of decentralising pre-tertiary education.

They also made recommendations to various provisions of the Bill ranging from composition of District Education Oversight Team to School Management Committees to ensure efficiency.

Mr Frederick Otchere, Programmes Officer of GNECC said the fears of politicisation might not arise since appointment would be based on merit as vacant positions would be advertised for qualified persons to apply.

Mr Osman Mensah, a consultant who facilitated the meeting, said a fully decentralised pre-tertiary education system would ensure effective teacher management and supervision for quality education delivery.

Alhaji Mohammed Haroun, Northern Regional Director of Education said even though the current system is not fully decentralised, district directors of education are authorised to take certain decisions as well as award contracts, adding that the new system would ensure quick decision making leading to efficiency.

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Source: GNA

The authorities of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) have vowed to weed out all applicants, who through dubious means gain admission into the institution.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Domwini Kuupole, who announced this on Saturday, said two people who used fake results to gain admission into the university have been exposed.

One of the applicants was arrested when he attempted to register, and helped the police to arrest of the other, who is the brain behind the scheme.

A third person is currently at large but the police have mounted a search for him.

“We wish to take this opportunity to inform all would-be applicants that the university obtains results of the SSCE with pictures of applicants annually from the West African Examination Council to cross-check with the applications received,” Prof. Kuupole cautioned.

Prof. Kuupole was speaking at the matriculation ceremony of fresh students for the 2015/16 academic year.

5,234 students out of the 10,900 qualified applicants gained admission to pursue courses such as law, medical sciences, social sciences, business, agriculture, nursing among others.

Out of the figure 117 are pursuing PhD, 402, Masters Students, whilst 4,715 undergraduates.

He therefore warned people who colluded with others to gain admission into the University to stop the practice because “they will definitely be found out and punished accordingly”.

Prof. Kuupole reminded the students that their programme of study were to enable them to advance knowledge, conduct creative research and scholarship, and apply that knowledge to address social problems.

“As a student of this university you are required to render service to society,” he declared and tasked them to endeavor to be truthful, committed, dedicated and above all disciplined, to enable them to achieve their goal.

The Vice Chancellor said the university had set up a fund, ‘Students’ Emergency Relief Fund (SERF)’ to support students who were genuinely disadvantaged and could not cope with their stay on campus.

This year, a total of 138 continuing students benefited from the fund, Prof. Kuupole said and urged new students who may require some help in respect of the payment of fees to contact the Dean of Students Affairs for consideration.

UCC has made an appeal to Non-Governmental Organisations and philanthropists to contribute to the fund to help sustain it.

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Source: GNA

Statistics of admitted students for the 2015/2016 academic year of the University of Cape Coast(UCC) shows that female enrolment at the University is still low.

1,591 female undergraduates representing 33.7% of the total undergraduate admission were admitted in the 2015/2016 academic year.

This represented a marginal increase compared to the previous year which had 1,679 female students representing 31.3% of total number of admitted students.

Addressing this year’s matriculation ceremony for freshmen, the Vice Chancellor of UCC, Professor Dominic Kuupole stated that 4,715 of the 10,900 undergraduate applications received, were admitted, of which Graduate Students admissions showed a five percent reduction of female enrolment compared to last year.

He added that there was 11.9 per cent drop over the total number of students admitted last year.

A situation, he attributed to the  inability of students to meet the higher cut off points for most programmes.

Professor Kuupole further indicated that two students who used fake results to apply into the University had been expelled from the school the university. He therefore cautioned prospective applicants to desist from engaging in a similar act.

Meanwhile freshmen who face challenges in funding their education could secure assistance at the ‘Students’ Emergency Relief Fund’ which is a joint collaboration between the  Office of the Dean of Students and the Students Representative Council.

The Vice Chancellor also maintained that the University would not compromise on discipline and advised the students to abide by the ‘do’s and don’ts’ of the students Handbook adding that ‘discipline is the bedrock of every academic enterprise and the surest way to achieve success”.

He assured the new students that the University would work to ensure that security on campus was conducive to facilitate academic work.

Professor Kuupole also urged the students to make good use of the opportunities that came their way and learn hard to ensure that their full potentials were realized to enable them contribute significantly to the growth and development of the nation.

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Source: GNA

The Lebanese community in Ghana has reiterated its commitment to the development of tertiary education in the country by awarding scholarships to a number of students of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ).

The brilliant students at one of the  premier communication institutes on the continent were honoured in a short ceremony at the school.

A total of 16 students were presented with the scholarships, including four in second year, five in third and seven in their final year at the institute.

The beneficiaries of the scholarship were chosen based on their performance over two semesters of the previous academic year.

The scholarships cover the fees and SRC dues of the students for the new academic year.

The Ambassador of Lebanon, Mr Ali Halabi, who represented the Lebanese community in Ghana at the ceremony, stated that the students were chosen based on their consistency and were fully deserving of the scholarships.

He called on the students not to relent adding that the scholarship was a “means to an end and not an end in itself.”

“Although Ghana has made considerable strides in advancing the course of the media, there is more to be done, It is in this regard that the Lebanese community decided to sponsor upcoming journalists who will uphold ethical standards and not succumb to mediocrity, in order to champion the nation’s development. Take your studies seriously in order to attain higher heights,” Mr Halabi advised the beneficiaries.

The rector of GIJ, Dr Wilberforce S. Dzisah, thanked the Lebanese community for their support, expressing his hope that the partnership would continue.

“The Lebanese Community has been running this scheme for needy but brilliant student for the past four years and therefore should be commended. I must we are indeed grateful,” Dr. Dzisah opined.

The community has also supported students in the University of Ghana, Legon and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) while dependents of fallen servants in the armed forces and police service in the country have also been assisted.

Eugenia Akorfa Kumi, Emma Obiri, Richard Mawutor Dzikunu, Leonora Amakuor Akpey, Manasseh Sugarthan Annor, Jeffery Owureku Sarpong, Sheriff Appiah (Fourth year), Tryphena Lizzert Ama Odehye Yeboah, Prosper Kofi Senyo, Edwin Kwakofi, Brigette Agozie, and Emmanuel Agorsor (Third year) Maame Adwoa Ohenewaa Adu, Dominic Asitanga Awuni, Shadrach Odame and Erica Nartekie Kodjo (second year).

By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

One of the best performing schools in the Northern Regional capital of Tamale, the Sakasaka Presbyterian primary school is faced with overcrowding.

With a population of 850 students, the school can only boast of three classroom blocks and a makeshift structure accommodating JHS one students.

All classrooms at the Kindergarten, lower and upper primary levels are congested.

The school authorities are compelled to halt admissions during the 2015/16 academic season.

The school’s’ headteacher, Anena Victor, in a Citi News interview called for government’s immediate intervention.

“I am appealing to government to assist us raise one of the blocks or even the front view of the school into a storey building to accommodate the entire school.”

He lamented that “Because of our performance, people from outside the metropolis from Kumbungu, Savelugu and Tamale the periphery, are coming here for admission. Our classrooms are choked and so we need expansion.”

Anena Victor commended some past students of the school for networking to uplift their Alma-Mata.

He promised to motivate the teachers to maintain the school’s performance.

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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana