The University of Cape Coast, UCC, has admitted a total of 17, 501 fresh students to pursue both undergraduate and post-graduate programmes by distance in various disciplines for the 2016/2017 academic year.

The figure comprises 16, 682 undergraduates and 819 postgraduate students. For the undergraduates, 12, 312 are pursuing education related programmes, while 4,370 are pursuing business related programmes. In terms of gender, the admission is made up of 9, 019 males representing 54.1 per cent and 7, 663 females which is approximately 45.9 per cent. The figures show an increase of 2.4 per cent over last year’s figure of 43.5 per cent.

Speaking at the matriculation ceremony for College of Distance Education (CoDE) students in the Western and Central Regions on UCC campus, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, expressed confidence that the high female ratio means that the achievement of a male to female ratio of 50:50 in distance education would be achieved in the foreseeable future.

He congratulated the women on their determination to pursue further studies and urged them to advise their colleagues to do same, adding “talk to your colleagues who are outside the fence to enroll in the programme because it is by this that you are empowered to perform your various roles expected of you.”

Prof. Ampiah also encouraged male counterparts and all husbands to support their women morally and financially to climb up the educational ladder so that the family in particular and society in general would benefit from the knowledge they have acquired.

The Vice-Chancellor gave the assurance that UCC would continue to improve upon its quality of distance education delivery. In that regard, he indicated that CoDE had embarked on a number of strategies to achieve the objective. He said series of training and re-training programmes had been designed for course tutors in all the Study Centres of the College.

The Vice-Chancellor also mentioned that training programmes had been outlined for permanent staff of the College in order to enhance their work and offer quality support services to numerous clientele. He said the Quality Assurance Unit of CoDE would continue to ensure that quality permeates in all aspects of the activities and programmes of the College.

Advising the fresh students, Prof. Ampiah said the distance education programme was quite different from the conventional programme where students devote most of their time to academic work. “You therefore need to strategise and manage the little time available to you effectively to derive maximum benefit,” he cautioned. He urged them to attend the face-to-face sessions regularly to enable them have deeper understanding of the courses they were pursuing.

The Registrar, Mr. John Kofi Nyan, administered the matriculation oath to the students.

Students from the Greater Accra and Volta Regions who were also admitted by CoDE had their matriculation ceremony at the Accra Study Centre, Papafio Hills in Accra. Fresh students in the Middle and Norther Zones of CoDE will have their matriculation ceremony concurrently in Kumasi and Tamale respectively on January 9, 2017.

As part of its mandate to mentor Colleges of Education, the Institute of Education, University of Cape Coast has rolled out a number of training workshops all categories of staff in the various colleges.

The first College to benefit from such training workshop is Berekum College of Education in the Brong Ahafo Region, where Heads of Department were taken through a two-day training.

The programme was aimed at educating participants on their responsibilities, promoting the growth of their respective departments, marketing the departments, amongst others.

Opening the workshop, the Principal of the College, Mr. Yaw Adjei-Sarkodie, expressed gratitude to the University of Cape Coast in general and the Institute of Education in particular for showing interest in the development of the human resource of the Colleges. He noted that with the upgrade of the Colleges to tertiary status, it was expected that the structures and activities of the Colleges conformed to standards of the National Accreditation Board (NAB) and the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE)

Speaking at the function, the immediate past Director of Human Resource, Dr. Kwaku Gyasi Badu, said that it was the duty of Heads of Department to organise teaching programmes, maintain acceptable standards of teaching, ensure that adequate facilities are available for teaching and research. He said heads were expected to review academic programmes and also introduce new programmes as and when necessary, ensure accreditation of all programmes in consultation with the National Accreditation Board as and when necessary, liaise with other academic divisions of the College and other Colleges, link with Industry, professional bodies, associations and similar bodies on matters affecting the Department in consultation with the Departmental Board, among others.

On promoting the growth of the department, Dr. Gyasi Badu noted that academic excellence was key; adding that “people would want to associate themselves with a department where students were performing creditably. He appealed to the Heads of Department to encourage their staff to take advantage of programmes, courses and workshops to improve their professional and academic competencies.

A senior lecturer at the Institute of Education, Mr. Nicholas K. Kutor who also spoke about “Making a Difference” said Promoting the visibility of the Department was a key factor in tertiary institution. He said this could be achieved by maintaining adequate number of students; cultivating the spirit of belongingness and also promoting and marketing the department.

The Institute of Education which has over the years supervised both private and public CoE has outlined a number of workshops to help build the capacity of staff, strengthen governance and structures of the colleges to enable them meet the standards of tertiary education. It is envisaged that such training workshops would be frequently organised at the national, regional and zonal levels for the colleges.

The ambience was so accommodating and welcoming to assure patrons of a good evening soaked with a variety or an assortment of carols.

The stage designers and organisers worked on the colours to blend with one another as well as interlaced them with a combination of lighting systems to provide a therapeutic effect to the auditorium.

For close to two hours, the lights sparkled in radiant colours, as the voices accompanied by instrumentation billowed to relive the birth of Christ Jesus in a glorious atmosphere.

The organisers in their choice of performers had selected choirs and individuals who through their delivery would arrest a non- music lover to be converted into a devoted and devoured one instantaneously.

The much-awaited University of Cape Coast (UCC) Carols Service kicked –off with a congregational opening Carol “O come all ye faithful” after which came the opening prayer by Rev. Isaac Baafi Sarbeng.

Setting the stage for a scintillating evening of Nine lessons and Carols, the Voices of Accountability showed why they are the originators of the programme by rendering two beautiful songs.

Then came the bible readings, with the Provost of College of Health and Allied Sciences, Rev. Prof. H. S. Amonoo-Kuofi, taking his reading from Genesis 3: 8-19,whilst the Dean of the Centre for International Education, Prof. Rosemond Boohene, read the second lesson from Genesis 22: 15-18. The third reading from Isaiah 9: 2, -7, was read by the Provost College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, Prof. Livingstone Sam-Amoah and the fourth reading was done by the Dean of the Faculty of Educational Foundations, Prof. Eric Nyarko-Sampson. The Director of Finance, Mrs. Elizabeth Obese did the 5th reading.

Another congregational hymn, the First Noel was sung to usher in the last bit of the readings with Registrar of the College of Distance Education, CoDE, Mr. Opoku Oku-Afari, reading Luke 2:1; 3-7, followed by the Director of University Health Services, Dr. Evans Ekenam, taking the 7th lesson from Luke 2: 8-16. The Chairman of Convocation, Prof. Peter Grant, read the 8th lesson from Matthew 2: 1-12 ,while the Registrar, Mr. John Kofi Nyan concluding the readings with the 9th lesson from John 1: 1-14.

Performing choirs and individual singers treated their audience with songs that will remain imprinted in the their minds for a long time.

Kofi Ansah and his Passionate Choir from the Department of Music would not be intimidated by sheer numbers by dishing out a barrage of carols both local and foreign renditions with passion and poise.

The Pax Choir would not be cowed either as they acquitted themselves creditably to the admiration of patrons. Their choice of songs was apt and flowed into each other such that the audience marveled at their style.

Young and Silky-voice Sandra Kuntu-Blankson, a National Service person at the Department of Music and Dance, as usual kept the audience hostage with her delivery of carols couched in both English and Latin. No wonder in the end the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. George K.T Oduro, could not help but recommended, “The Department should not let Sandra and Addaquaye go”.

Alfred Patrick Addaquaye and his partner crowned the show with the “Icing on the cake” performance as he held those who knew and did not know him before yesterday in awe of his dexterity both on the microphone and the keyboard.

“This year has been a busy year, all of you have shown dedication to work. Each and every one of you is important’, Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah said in a remark.

Prof. Ampiah urged both staff and students to work hard to make the University a better place in the ensuing year. “Please let’s give our best to the University in 2017’.

It is no doubt that even though patrons remained largely in their seats throughout the entire evening, they went away elated with memories that will linger for a long time to come. The event was worth every cedi, time and energy expended to have it.

The University of West Florida, USA, has expressed its readiness to collaborate with the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in the areas of common interests to benefit the two institutions.

The University of West Florida will also introduce some of its academic programs such as ED.D Programme office and College Student Affairs Administration.

The Director of Studies, University of West Florida, Professor Francis E. Godwyll, made this known when he paid a courtesy call on the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof. George K.T Oduro, at his office.

Welcoming his guest, Prof. Oduro said the University was prepared to engage the University of West Florida in building a fruitful collaboration.

“We will do so since the University is open to international collaborations,” the Pro-Vice-Chancellor assured.

Prof. Oduro indicated that, “Knowledge is like the Baobab tree which no individual can embrace; hence, the need for complementarity so far as knowledge is concerned.”

 He added that the University was also seeking partnership in the areas of staff development and improvement of Information Technology.

 The Director of Academic Affairs, Mr. Jeff Teye Onyame; the Director of the Institute for Education Planning and Administration, Dr. Rosemary Bosu, and other officials were present at the meeting.