The University of Cape Coast will officially extend its mentoring services to the Palm Institute at Shai Hills, Greater Accra Region soon.
Palm Institute is currently working with the National Accreditation Board (NAB) to obtain accreditation to run programmes at the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree levels. The Institute seeks to begin with the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology with affiliation from the UCC.
Accreditation of Programmes
The President of the Institute, Dr. Peter Carlos Okantey, who welcomed the Head of Institutional Affiliation Office, Mr. Justice Agyenim Boateng to his campus, said all the necessary documentation about the Institute and programmes to be offered had been submitted to NAB as part of the requirements for accreditation. He indicated that a team from NAB had already visited the facility and made some recommendations which have been implemented.
Supporting the Marginalised through NAPE Foundation
Explaining the objectives for the establishment of the Institute, Dr. Okantey said it emerged out of the Naa Amerley Palm Education (NAPE) Foundation which has been supporting youth from deprived communities to access tertiary education. “Since its establishment in 2006, NAPE Foundation which I named after my mother has sponsored more youth from less endowed communities to enter into both public and private Universities,” he explained.
Providing Access to Quality Tertiary Education
Dr. Okantey elaborated that the Foundation later raised funds to establish Palm Institute in order to give opportunities to more students to pursue tertiary education. “We are currently affiliated to the National Board for Professional and Technician Examinations, (NABPTEX) and offering two-year Diploma programmes in Business Administration, Computerized Accounting, Agribusiness and Finance, Banking Technology, and Accounting, and Procurement and Materials Management. He informed Mr. Boateng that the Institute has a student population of 60 for the Diploma programmes.
UCC Will Support Palm Institute to Succeed
Mr. Justice Agyenim Boateng commended the President for identifying UCC for the collaboration and assured him that, the University would also offer the necessary support for the Institute to deliver quality tertiary education to its students from Ghana and abroad. “UCC expects Palm Institute to uphold quality standards both in the areas of academic and governance of the institution,” he stressed. He further praised the President for instituting a Foundation that provided scholarships for needy students in the nook and cranny of Ghana. “Education is for the good of society and I am impressed about your benevolence and effort to impart knowledge to the marginalised through fundraising activities by the NAPE Foundation” he added.
Mr. Boateng said he was impressed with the facilities and the conducive environment on the campus.
Present at the interaction was the Coordinator of NAPE Foundation, Ms. Mckerizie Gibson and Director of Academic Affairs, Palm Institute, Mr. Murphy Opoku Acheampong.
