Category: Literacy

Professor Samuel Awinkane Atintono, the President of the Principals of Colleges of Education (PRINCOF) has appealed to the government for official vehicles to aid administrative work of members.

‘It is very worrying that all Principals are using 15-year-old Nissan Patrol vehicles that were given by the government in 2008 as occupational vehicles. Almost all the vehicles are not roadworthy and a few of the roads are accident-prone.

‘Very sadly, we recently lost one of our colleagues, the Principal of the EP College of Education, Bimbilla, through an accident in July 2023. I am clear in my mind that if the vehicle in which our colleague was traveling was any of the modern cars, we may not have lost him,’ Professor Atintono said.

The PRINCOF President, who addressed members at its Annual National Conference, held in Bolgatanga on the theme: ‘Repositioning Colleges of Education as Centres of excellence for teacher education in Ghana,’ said the issue of vehicles for members must be taken seriously.

He said th
ere was effort by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) in 2022 to procure vehicles for the Colleges of Education, ‘But unfortunately, we have not seen that. The entire membership of PRINCOF is in dire need of these vehicles, so that we can do our work.’

Professor Atintono said the condition of service for their staff was unattractive, and indicated that although there were some improvements, in recent times, they had witnessed a few labour unrest from both teaching and non-teaching staff from the Colleges of Education regarding their conditions of service.

‘While I commend GTEC, the Ministry of Education for conducting the staff audit in the Colleges of Education in July 2022, with the view to rationalising the salaries and other conditions of service of the staff of the Colleges to be at level with that of the traditional Universities, I want to appeal to GTEC to speed up the processes for implementing to bring finality to the issue,’ he said.

Professor Atintono added that infrastructure deficit
across the 46-member Colleges of Education was of concern to the PRINCOF, ‘If you look at the Colleges of Education, none of them have the capacity to say they have enough lecture halls or residential facilities.’

He said the 43 residential facilities started by government across the Colleges in the country had stalled, except for three which were progressing steadily, noting that ‘We need this infrastructure very badly in the Colleges and something must be done.’

He said with the PRINCOF’s motto: ‘Education for Service,’ the Conference remained committed to its mission to provide excellence in teacher training, and contribution to the overall improvement of the education sector.

Professor Ahmed Abdullai Jinapor, the Director-General of the GTEC, said the Commission shared in the PRINCOF’s vision, and would work to ensure that the Colleges of Education were repositioned.

On vehicles, he said the GTEC was 80 per cent complete with the processes to purchase vehicles for the PRINCOF, ‘We went through all the
procurement processes.

‘In fact, we selected the vehicle that we were supposed to give to you; VW Touareg, a quotation was brought, we took it to Public Accounts Committee, they needed assurance from GETfund that we had the money ready to purchase those vehicles.

‘GETfund gave us a letter, unfortunately, in 2022, we all know what happened to the Cedi, the quotation was in dollars, when the Cedi started taking a dive, it went above what was budgeted and was available.

‘The good thing is, there is some money sitting down, I am working with your President to see how we can work around getting you the vehicles. It is a matter of necessity that you get vehicles,’ Professor Jinapor assured the PRINCOF.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Michael Yidana Mantamia, the Principal of the Nursing and Midwifery Training College (NMTC) at Zuarungu in the Bolgatanga East District of the Upper East Region, has admonished graduate nurses and midwives to exhibit high levels of professionalism in healthcare delivery.

He urged them to be compassionate, caring, professional and always remember their core mandate of providing quality care for patients whose needs should be of paramount importance to them.

‘As a College with quality, integrity and service as our hallmark, we commission all graduates to get into the world, guided by the core values of the College which has brought great respect and admiration to the institution by all its peers, and I have no doubt that when you go by same, you will succeed in all your endeavours,’ he said.

Mr Mantamia gave the advice when he addressed the maiden graduation ceremony of the College and the 11th, fifth and 18th matriculation of Registered General Nursing (RGN), Post Nurse Assistant Clinical and Nurse Assi
stant Preventive (NAP) Midwifery and Nurse Assistant Clinical (NAC) students respectively.

The ceremony was on the theme: ‘Quality nursing and midwifery education: The role of stakeholders.’

Mr Mantamia said the College received over 1000 applications and admitted about 30 per cent of them, and indicated that out of 271 RGN officially admitted, 92 were males and 179 females.

He said a total of 226 NAC students made up of 36 males and 190 females with 16 Post NAC and NAP students, were admitted, while 202 graduated with various certificates in nursing programmes from the College.

Considering the concept of Universal Health Coverage by 2030, which reflected the Sustainable Development Goals, Mr Mantamia urged the graduates to play their roles towards the achievement of the concept, wherever they found themselves.

‘Every Ghanaian everywhere should have access to quality healthcare, and this is not achievable without competent nurses and midwives with the right attitude, skills and knowledge.

‘It has been s
aid that the same Ghanaian nurses are excelling outside the country, and yet same nurses seem not to be performing so well attitudinally in their own country Ghana,’ he said.

Mr Mantamia told the graduates that they were ‘Competent and fit for purpose,’ pleaded and admonished them to help in building their own country, even as they considered lending their support to that of other countries.

Alhaji Mahama Asei Seini, the Deputy Minister of Health, said matriculation signified the start of a new chapter for the students as they embarked on their educational journey and gained independence, while graduation was a symbolic celebration of hard work, dedication and academic achievement.

He assured the trainees that the government was doing everything possible to effect payment of their training allowances, saying, ‘By next week, the first piece of the allowance will be paid and rest in the subsequent months.’

Alhaji Seini said the government would continue to grant financial clearance to recruit newly qualifie
d staff for permanent postings to health facilities to meet the needs of the ‘Agenda 111’.

He said with the establishment of the Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives, government would continue to grant study leave with pay to deserving staff, especially in deprived areas to further their education.

‘It is hoped that this will continue to serve as incentive and motivation to staff, while ensuring quality patient care,’ the Deputy Minister said.

Mr Stephen Yakubu, the Regional Minister, said the government was working with the World Health Organisation to streamline the migration of critical health staff to other countries, while the conditions of service of staff and work environment received due attention.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr Vida Nyagre Yakong, Dean of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University for Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale, says Ghana’s dream for quality nursing and midwifery education may remain a dream if stakeholders continue to serve as barriers.

‘Our dream to ensuring quality education for Nursing and Midwifery in Ghana may remain at the level of a dream if some stakeholders continue to serve as barriers to quality education instead of facilitators,’ she said.

She said many training institutions witnessed an upsurge in unprofessional and academic misconduct during examinations.

‘Students’ engagement in examination malpractices has become so common and normalized among students.

‘They enter examination halls with phones containing content for examination and wrapped in papers used as menstrual pads. Some download artificial intelligence Apps on their phones that find answers online for their questions. Some write content under their dresses and on their thighs to copy,’ she said.

Dr Yakong said
this when she delivered a keynote address at the maiden graduation and matriculation ceremony of the Nursing and Midwifery Training College (NMTC) – Zuarungu, on the theme: ‘Quality nursing and midwifery education: The role of stakeholders.’

She said students who engaged in examination malpractices risked cancellation of their papers, rustication or even dismissals, and described such acts as embarrassment to the nursing and midwifery professions that valued truth, hard work and academic excellence.

The Keynote Speaker said some stakeholders including politicians and community leaders, who should have known better, interfered in disciplinary actions against students involved in examination malpractices.

‘Instead of these unprofessional and unethical behaviours to be condemned, we rather have some politicians, some members of management of the institutions and community leaders, including Chiefs, stand in the way of ensuring quality education by asking that such students remain unpunished.

‘Heads of school
s receive countless calls from some people who should have known better, asking for favours to free such students and labelling them as wicked when they stand their grounds to ensure the right thing is done,’ the Dean said.

Dr Yakong further expressed concern that such students who should have been ashamed of their misconducts, issued death threats to examiners and invigilators.

She said the calibre of students selected for admission into programmes was equally a threat to the quality of nursing and midwifery education and noted that ‘Most students are admitted based on protocols and political pressure.’

The Dean said such students came with some perceived entitlement due to their affiliation with politicians.

‘It is a source of worry when quality education in nursing and midwifery is politicized. As stakeholders, we need to rethink the implications of our role in this journey.’

She called for review of the different programmes that existed and the need to upgrade them to a level that was consistent with
international standards, ‘In most countries, the entry point for nursing and midwifery is first degree.

‘It is time for government and the Regulatory Bodies to revisit the processes that were started to make this move, but short-lived for political reasons. We need to end the certificate training and move on to first degree level,’ Dr Yakong said.

Mr Michael Yidana Mantamia, the Principal of the NMTC – Zuarungu, on behalf of the Advisory Board, Management, and staff of the College, congratulated the 202 graduates of various nursing programmes for their performance and dedication to the tenets of the College which resulted in their successful completion.

‘We have no doubt that we have equipped you with the needed knowledge, attitude and skill to fit in the contemporary era. I admonish all graduates to be guided by the stanza seven of the nurse’s pledge; ‘I promise that my personal life shall at all times bring credit to my profession.’

To the 513 fresh students admitted to various programmes in the nursing
profession, the Principal advised them to take their academic work seriously and make judicious use of their time so that they could achieve the goal of their stay in the College.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Private Universities need to focus on relevance, agility and excellence to ensure that their institutions adapt and succeed in the education marketplace.

Professor Ato Essuman, Dean, School of Research and Graduate Studies and Professional development, Methodist University Ghana (MUG), said if they were to prosper and be successful they must be relevant to the societies in which they exist.

Prof Essuman made these remarks when he delivered a public lecture organised by the MUG on the topic, ‘Ghana’s Private Universities in Crises: Were They Founded as a Necessary Risk or a Public Relation Gimmick? Time To Rethink,’ in Accra.

‘They should assert their importance as critical builders of knowledge and human capital,’ he said.

The Dean said whether they were seeking solutions to global conflict, or developing their understanding of literature, they must be relevant and be willing to engage with society to show how that was the case.

‘True relevance can mean substantial change for some – more flexible models
, mixed-mode pedagogy, learning while earning and block study,’ he added.

He said Universities had traditionally been slow to respond to external influences; ‘slow but sure’ has often been the motive but the pace of externally driven change would surely only increase.

He said those institutions that were agile would have the ability to adapt continuously to be the most successful.

‘That may mean changing some deep-rooted ways of working as Private Universities, and build the ability to be ahead of the game rather than responding after the event.

Prof Essuman said excellence in the development of knowledge and inspiration of learners was critical for all, such that Private Universities could not prosper if they were not good at what they do.

‘In the new world, being excellent across all academic and professional operations will be crucial, good enough will not do,’ he added.

He said to survive in the education marketplace, Private Universities must become more ‘business-like’, while at the same time focu
sing on what they were good at and emphasising the very things that make them different.

Prof. Essuman said few Private Tertiary Institutions pay attention to planning to enable leadership to give strategic direction to the institution.

Out of 15 institutions sampled, only four had strategic plans which had not lapsed and only two out of the four whose plan had not lapsed, got serious with its implementation and monitoring.

He said many acknowledged their importance but were demotivated by the inadequate resources to fund it.

‘The fact is, it is actually the lack of resources that a preparation of a strategic plan should be a priority,’ he added.

He said the strategic plan helped the organization to be proactive rather than reactive, instilled a shared sense of responsibility and increased operational efficiency among leadership.

The Dean said the lack of it presented chaos due to the ad hoc nature of decision-making and actions based only on leadership experience and discretion and indiscretion.

He sa
id it was important for Private Universities to focus on soft skills in the curriculum and align their educational offerings with in-demand skills.

The Dean said the hard skills that were in demand change frequently in the rapidly changing world, but soft skills, including critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, negotiation skills, interpersonal skills, and leadership skills could prove to be invaluable in the eyes of employers.

‘Designing well-rounded curricula that balance out disciplinary depth by encompassing these skills will give students an edge beyond the ivory tower,’ he added.

He said Universities must ensure that what they were offering to students was relevant to industry.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Central University (CU) has held her 22nd graduation ceremony with a call on government to make and implement a national Human Capital Policy framework to guide and sustain quality human capital development.

The convocation, which presented another excellence story of the CU within the private tertiary education space, was used to graduate 900 students from various disciplines.

In a speech, Professor Bill Buenar Puplampu, Vice Chancellor of CU, reiterated his call for a Human Capital Policy framework to harness and develop Ghana’s human resources.

He asked the Government to improve the lot of teachers since they played a key role in national development.

Professor Puplampu urged the Government to refocus primary and secondary education in terms of content, structure, standardized quality, and resourcing.

‘In this regard, I find it rather upsetting when a school in the public system is euphemistically described as ‘less-endowed,’ he added.

Prof. Puplampu advised that government has to improve on existin
g educational structures and programmes had rather than chasing new ideas and building new structures.

‘Half the resources spent on new ventures could more than provide international standard of improvements to existing primary and secondary school institutions.’

‘Stop the mission creep and the unbridled expansion of the Public Sector space and the creation of new universities. We cannot afford it and there are at least 8 credible chartered private universities which can fill the gap and enable us attain the desired 40% Gross Enrolment Ratio by 2030,’ the Professor said.

He advised members of the graduating class to visualise their career aspirations and put a visual image and a symbolic reference to it, whilst they ‘work hard, diligently and demonstrate their expertise.’

Ms. Daniella Kosiwa Anani, who gave the valedictorian speech, asked her mates to dare to dream and thrive for excellence to realize their dreams.

Quoting the words of Brian Tracy, a renowned author in the field of self-development, she
said, ‘All successful people are big dreamers, dreams are the beginning of a life well lived and the drive for excellence is the fuel that will take those dreams to accomplishment.

They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or that purpose.’

The Central University has grown from a small proportion of a few hundred students to about 6000 students and nine Schools which are made up of the Central Business School.

The various schools include Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Law, School of Engineering and Technology, School of Pharmacy, School of Architecture and Design, School of Graduate Studies and Research, the School of Medical Sciences, and School of Nursing and Midwifery.

Out of the total number of students who graduated, 805 were from the various undergraduate programmes and 95 from various graduate programmes.

Out of this number, 72 received 1st class degrees with 20 of them as best graduating s
tudents.

The overall best student, Ms. Daniella Kosiwa Anani, had a CGPA of 3.95.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr George Sarpong, the Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission (NMC), has asked Ghanaian youth not to allow the play up of tribal politics, currently ongoing in the media space, to influence their voting decisions.

He noted that the current situation where the media describes the 2024 general election as the battle between two northerners was worrying and that the disturbing phenomenon should engage the attention of all peace-loving Ghanaians.

Addressing a durbar to climax the 80th Anniversary of the Effiduase Senior High School (EFFISCO), Mr Sarpong said never in the history of Ghana had a contest between two presidential candidates from a particular geographical area or region been played up in such a tribal or regionally biased manner.

‘The ‘Northernisation’ of political candidates in the 2024 general election in the media is very worrying and needs urgent action of all Ghanaians,’ he stated.

‘At no point in the history of Ghana had people referred to a political contest as a contest betw
een southerners, not even in the all-Akan contests between Mr J.A. Kufuor and Prof J.E.A. Mills, or between Prof. Mills and Nana Akufo-Addo in the previous elections,’ he observed.

‘Therefore, there is no reason why the next election should be referred to as northerners contest.’

It was important to hype the qualities of the two candidates and what they had to offer rather than ’emphasizing that Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is a Mamprusi from Walewale, North East Region, and Mr John Mahama is a Gonja from Bole, Savannah Region,’ which played down their qualities and unacceptable, Mr Sarpong said.

‘The danger I’m drawing attention to is in the subtlety of the messaging in labelling all these diverse cultures as ‘northerners’,’ he said.

‘It denies them social equity and limits their opportunity for accessing public office since it makes it easy for us to sprinkle a few in positions and tell ourselves that we have satisfied the north.’

‘This inequality is how we subtly kill vision and undermine social progress.’

Mr
Sarpong, who is also an old student of the school, stressed the need for the youth to stand firm and vote for humble and visionary candidates, devoid of tribal or religious affiliations.

Young Ghanaians should give opportunity to a candidate who embodied the EFFISCO vision, resilience and excellence.

He advised the youth to see beyond the present; envision greatness, and set a purpose for their lives by choosing a leader with track records in the economic growth and development of the country.

The person who may define the positive course of their lives might not necessarily come from their hometown, tribe or religion, he said.

Mr Ishaq Kyei-Brobbey, the Headmaster of the school, touching on academic progress, said the 2022 WASSCE results reaffirmed the vision of the school as centre of excellence.

The percentage of credit passes A1 – C6 in English Language for the school was 82.7 per cent with 99.04 per cent for Mathematics.

Other subject areas like Science recorded 97.42 per cent pass, whilst Social S
tudies recorded 88.51 per cent.

With Ghana on course to developing her human resource capacity, EffISCO was strongly aligned, he said.

Currently the school has a student population of 3,581, comprising 1,787 males and 1,794 females, whilst the staff strength is 270, comprising 170 teaching staff and 100 non-teaching staff.

Awards were given to deserving students and staff members for their hard work.

Source: Ghana News Agency