The Provost of the College of Education Studies, Prof. Eric Magnus Wilmot, has stated that quality education can be achieved if educational administrators and management play their roles effectively and efficiently. He, however, noted that low quality of education in Ghana could not be attributed solely to poor teaching and learning. “Sometimes when you talk about low quality education, many people are looking at teaching and learning. The reality is that, it starts from the administrators and management of schools,” he opined. Prof. Wilmot made these statements at the maiden Alumni Homecoming of the Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (IEPA). The Homecoming, which was on the theme “Improving Educational Administration in Ghana: the Role of the IEPA Graduate”, brought together past students of IEPA to reunite and form a formidable association. The Provost wondered why public basic schools with scores of professional teachers record low marks in national examination, whilst he argued that private basic schools with half-baked teachers still perform creditably in countrywide exams. Accordingly, Prof. Wilmot pointed out that administration and supervision were the main bane of the poor standards of education in Ghana. He said people with the requisite administrative skills should be made to fill vacancies at the educational sector. Speaking further, Prof. Wilmot called on IEPA to roll out a continuous professional development programme for educational administrators and managers of schools to build their capacities in the profession. In an address, the Member of Parliament for Bia West, Hon. (Dr.) Augustine Tawiah, noted that there was the need for universities which are training educational administrators to adopt similar academic criteria to ensure that every administrator develops the same training skills so as to function optimally. He proposed the establishment of an Institute for Educational Leadership and Development at the Universities to groom educational administrators and managers and to equip them with the relevant leadership skills needed to effectively manage schools. Like the nursing, medical and legal professions, Hon. Tawiah, who is an old student of IEPA, recommended an institution for licensing educational administrators across the country. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, who also spoke at the function, stressed that educational administrators were the key to addressing the educational challenges facing Ghana. He advised past students of IEPA across the length and breadth of the country to register with the alumni association to enable them to contribute their quota and urged them to remember IEPA in all their endeavours. The Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof. George K.T. Oduro, expressed grave concern at the way public administrators were made educational administrators at the expense of professionals with the requisite knowledge in educational administration. Unquestionably, he said, the move affected the quality and operations of schools. Prof. Oduro, who is a former Director of IEPA, called for re-branding of IEPA to enable the Institute to churn out fully-fledged graduates with unique leadership qualities for organisational operations. The Director of IEPA, Dr. Rosemary Serwaa Bosu, said that IEPA is the premier institute in the country that conducts research in educational issues to inform educational policy makers, as well as train educational planners and administrators at all levels of education in Ghana.This, she noted that IEPA could boast of a highly skilled, knowledgeable, experienced, energetic, committed and hard working professional workforce nationwide. Dr. Bosu stressed that IEPA has close collaboration with both the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service in developing the capacity of their staff. Present at the lecture were past Directors, lecturers and alumni of the Institute. The ceremony witnessed the presentation of citations to past Directors in appreciation of their valuable services.  

Twelve dedicated members of staff of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) have been rewarded for their significant contributions towards the growth of the institution. The awards ceremony, dubbed, “2nd Staff Awards and Recognition" witnessed awards given to members in the Senior Members, Senior Staff and Junior Staff categorised. Each awardee received a shield, certificate and a cash prize of GH¢3,000 Ghana Cedis. The Director of Human Resources, Rev. Isaac Sarbeng, commended the awardees for giving off their best to advance the development of UCC. He advised the award winners not to rest on their oars, but they should work tirelessly to consolidate the gains chalked up by the University. Giving information on this year's awards, Rev. Sarbeng noted that the Awards and Recognition Committee received 69 nominations for the 18 awards categories. Out of the number, 12 staff members, according to him, were shortlisted for the awards for their sterling performance and dedication to duty at their workplaces. Explaining the criteria used for the selection of awardees, he noted that the Committee considered written justification, nominations by heads of departments and staff. Afterwards, the Committee, the Director pointed out, carried out a thorough probe into the works and conduct of nominees at their workplaces, interacted with their superiors, colleagues, as well as other members of the University community before it decided on a candidate. Rev. Sarbeng explained that no staff member (teaching) was selected for the categories of the Evolving Best Researcher and outstanding best evolving researcher as a result of a similar awards ceremony organized by the Directorate of Research Innovation and Consultancy (DRIC) to honour lecturers for the aforementioned award categories. He further announced that the Awards and Recognition Committee would liaise with DRIC to organise a combined awards ceremony on the same day. The Vice-Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, commended the award winners and expressed management's continuous support to motivate staff to give off their best to the University. He urged other workers of the University to take inspiration from the awardees in order to achieve similar feat in future. The Award Winners for the 2nd Staff Awards and Recognition are as follow: SENIOR MEMBERS CATEGORY (TEACHING/NON-TEACHING) Distinguished Librarian---- Mrs. Paulina Arthur-Afful (Sam Jonah Library) Promising Administrator---- Mr. Isaac Eliot Nyieku (Directorate of Human Resource) Community Service Award---- Mr. Kwabena Antwi-Konadu (ATL FM) SENIOR STAFF CATEGORY Promising Administrator--- Mr. Prince Paul E. Williams (Grounds & Gardens) Distinguished Technician---- Mr. Anthony Abraham (UCC Printing Press) Promising Technician---- Mr. Francis Parry Nkrumah (Dept. of Chemistry) JUNIOR STAFF CATEGORY Distinguished Clerk ---- Mr. Martin Dadzie (School of Physical Sciences) Promising Clerk ---- Ms. Monica Koomson (Dept. of Maths & Science) Distinguished Technician ---- Mr. Ibrahim Musah (Dept. of Crop Science) Promising Technician ---- Mr. Joseph Middley (Grounds & Gardens) Promising Sanitary ---- Mr. Sulley Yusif (Oguaa Hall) Conservancy/Labourer Distinguished Driver ---- Mr. Francis Yawson (Transport Section)  

The Minister for Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has inaugurated Governing Councils for the University of Cape Coast, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the University for Development Studies at a ceremony in Accra. Members of the UCC Governing Council include: Mrs Nancy Thompson - Government Nominee (Chairperson) Prof. Joseph Ampiah Ghartey - Vice-Chancellor Dr. Tamimu Osman - Government Nominee Dr. Thomas Agyarko - Poku: Government Nominee Dr. Mrs Ernestina Freduah-Antoh - Government Nominee Dr. Edem Amenumey: - Convocation (Non-Professorial) Prof. Kwame Osei Kwarteng - University Teachers Association of Ghana (President) Mr. Tony Henry Arthur - Students’ Representative Council Benjamin Sundeme - Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana Mr. Stephen Williams - Teachers & Educational Workers Union Dr. Anthony Yaw Baah - National Council for Tertiary Education Mrs. Cecilia Kwakye Coffie - Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools Mr. Gorkel Obro-Adibo - Representative of UCC Alumni Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Prempeh implored the three governing councils that they were required by law to ensure the implementation of the aims of their respective universities; determine their strategic direction and, monitor and evaluate policy implementation. He also charged them to promote income-generating activities as part of the University's programme; control the finances of the University and, determine the allocation and proper use of funds. According to the Minister for Education, the Governing Council of each of the universities is to ensure the creation of equal opportunity for members of their respective universities without regard to ethnicity, sex, race, religious belief or political affiliation. Dr. Prempeh said consistent with the reform agenda of the government, the Ministry of Education has embarked on the review of the legal, institutional and regulatory framework to properly outline their functions and strengthen their mandate to perform efficiently. The Minister also called on universities in the country to position themselves appropriately to increase the admission of Senior High Schools as a result of the implementation of the free SHS policy by the government. The Minister congratulated members of the Governing Council and assured them of government’s commitment towards promoting tertiary education in the country as a means of equipping citizens with the tools vital for national development. Present were the Minister in charge of Tertiary Education, Prof. Kwesi Yankah, the Executive Secretary of the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE), Prof. Salifu Mohammed.  

The National Investment Bank (NIB) has donated a cheque for 15, 000 to support the Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (IEPA) Alumni Homecoming. Presenting the cheque to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, the Cape Coast Branch Manager of NIB, Mr. John Kwame Fosu, said the bank received a request for sponsorship from the Office of the Vice-Chancellor to support the programme. He said though the request came late, they managed to organise the amount within the shortest possible time due to the bank’s long lasting relationship with the University. Mr. Fosu seized the opportunity to congratulate the Vice-Chancellor on his appointment and wished him well as he steers the affairs of the University. He assured the Vice-Chancellor that the NIB would not renege on its commitment to deepen its strong relationship with UCC. Receiving the cheque on behalf of IEPA, Prof. Ampiah thanked NIB for their swift response to the request. He was optimistic that relationship between the Bank and UCC would continue to open more avenues for the two parties to benefit from each other. The Cape Coast Manager of NIB was accompanied by Mrs. Queensland Elizabeth Nunoo, who is the Head of Marketing /Credit. Present were the Registrar, Mr. John Kofi Nyan; Dr. Janet Koomson a lecturer at IEPA, Mrs. Alberta Konadu Owusu, Assistant Registrar, IEPA and Mrs. Georgina Asi Owusu, Senior Assistant, Office of the Vice-Chancellor.