The Chairman of the University of Cape Coast Council, Nana Sam Brew Butler has urged graduates of the University to be pioneers of teaching and learning that are tailored toward promoting sustainable development.
He emphasised that the fact that Ghana has reached a point where education for sustainable is a necessity saying “Your lessons ought to empower students irrespective of their ages to assume responsibility to plan for, cope with, find solutions to issues and encourage changes in behaviour towards creating sustainable future.”
Nana Butler made these remarks at the when he addressed fresh graduates of the Institute of Education and the College of Distance Education during the sixth to ninth sessions of the 48th Congregation. He pointed out that “the professional knowledge and skills of the teacher are the most important factor required for enhancing quality education.”
Be True Ambassadors of UCC
The Chairman of Council said the University has helped to unearth, nurture and package the capabilities in them and therefore they were being sent out as ambassadors of rejuvenation. He further noted that “the University is today saying that enough knowledge has been imparted to you, it is now your turn to impact society. Use the professional knowledge acquired to help solve issues affecting society.”
Congratulation to Graduates
In an address at the ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. D. D. Kuupole congratulated the graduates on their successful completion of their academic programmes. He expressed confidence that the certificates they had been awarded would open doors and opportunities for them to assume their rightful status in society
Graduates of Institute of Education and Programme Expansion
Touching on graduates of the Institute of Education, Prof. Kuupole said a total of 2, 943 students were graduating at the ceremony. He said the graduating students pursued the Post-Diploma degree comprising those who read 2-year Post-Diploma in Early Childhood and 2-year Post-Diploma in Basic Education programmes. He indicated that the graduating class formed the third batch of the Bachelor of Education (Basic Education) Sandwich Programme which was introduced in July, 2011. He also said that the 2-year Post-Diploma (Bachelor in Education in Early Childhood Education) Sandwich programme was witnessing its first batch of graduates.
Explaining the purpose of the programme, Prof. Kuupole said the Institute of Education mounted the sandwich programme to enable teachers outside Cape Coast and its environs who enrolled on the evening diploma classes programme to get the opportunity to pursue bachelor’s degree. He noted that studying centres have been opened in all the ten regions of Ghana for the programme. He also explained that the sandwich nature of the programme ensured that teachers do not abandon the classroom while school was in session to upgrade themselves adding that “the programme is organized when schools are on vacation and it gives the teachers opportunity to have full concentration on their academic work without any interference of administrative and professional work.”
College of Distance Education
On the College of Distance Education (CoDE), Prof. Kuupole said the graduating students for the first part of the ceremony were Diploma in Basic Education, Bachelor of Management Studies and Bachelor of Psychology and Foundations of Education programme. The College of Distance Education has, no doubt, brought tertiary education to the door steps of a large number of qualified people who would not have had the opportunity to access university education due to demands of their work, long distance to urban centres and financial constraints associated with the campus-based system, he noted.
Establishing Distance Education Across West Africa
The Vice-Chancellor said as a result of the international appeal for UCC’s academic programmes, some sister universities within the West African region have requested for collaboration with UCC. This is to enable those Universities ran UCC CoDE programmes by distance learning on their campus. He said the CoDE was preparing the necessary documents that would meet the requirements of external partnership to undertake the international collaboration.
Expanding Access to Tertiary Education in Ghana
He said that the excellent performance of candidates of the Distance Learning Programme and the positive impact the College had made on society was a clear indication that “the University of Cape Coast remains focused on expanding access to tertiary education by distance learning in Ghana and beyond”. He gave the assurance that plans were far advanced to open additional Distance Learning Centres for postgraduate studies across the country. He said new centres would be opened in Bolgatanga, Sunyani and Takoradi very soon.