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IDS Hosts Conference on Public Private Partnership in the Powers Sector

06 Jun, 2016 By louis Mensah

A three-day international conference has been held at the University of Cape Coast with a call on participants to come up with policy-oriented decisions that will improve on the lives of the people.

The three-day conference has experts from Ghana, South Africa and Uganda speak to the theme “Public Private Partnership in the Power Sector in Ghana: Genuine Development Agenda or New Business Deal?

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Provost of the College of Humanities and Legal Studies, UCC, Prof. S. B. Kendie indicated that market-led reforms have been the driving force of the development agenda for countries implementing economic reforms under the guidance of the International Financial Institutions, and in Ghana this has been going on since 1983.

“We have witnessed labour rationalization and retrenchment and wage freeze in several such countries accompanied in several instances by labour agitations and strikes and subsequent informalization of economies”. “The growing informal economy is characterized by low wages and poor working conditions. Many remain outside the tax net, which affect public revenue generation”.

Prof. Kendie said removal of subsidies and imposition of user fees may have freed the national budget of some expenditure but these have also had some negative implications for the poor. Even though Prof. Kendie conceded that the tax net needed to be widened, he said the growing costs of energy and high interest rates were affecting the growth of business, which affects employment generation.

The Director of Institute of Development Studies, Prof. P. K. Agbesinyale said attempts to reform public sectors are sweeping across Africa, but the attempts were generally different from those of the immediate post-independence period.

Prof. Agbesinyale indicated that whereas the earlier reforms aimed at shaping public administration that could spearhead national development, the current reforms aimed at reducing costs and refocus the activities of the public sector, to change the way it works, and to promote the role of the market and the private sector both in the service provision and the economy at large.

Keynote speaker, Dr. Gerard Kesterintimated that democracy could be seen in a double perspective. “It is not a procedure mediating between different political ideologies but is also itself an ideology”.

He said the foundations of democracy has to guarantee the basic values of democratic society adding that that it should establish the primacy of individual freedoms.

Dr. Kester said democracy has to be re-invented in a much richer and specific way than opening ballot boxes once in a not to frequent while, rather if democracy was to regain control over globalized financial capitalism, it should invent new instruments, not just those of the market, and not just parliaments and other formal democratic institutions. “One of the most important issues in the coming years will be the development of new forms of property and control of capital. New forms of participation and governance have to be invented”, he declared.

Turning to democracy and controlled enterprise, the keynote speaker was noted that labour-capital -relations should be linked to the core values of freedom, equality, equivalence and solidarity.

He averred that in the neoliberalism regime, owners do as they please but employees and other stakeholders also belong to entreprise. “Democracy cannot be banned from a place where many people spend a big part of their life and which determines part of their life outside the enterprise”, he said.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. D. D. Kuupole chaired the opening ceremony.

uniBank Donates Computers to R-CAMAT

06 Jun, 2016 By louis Mensah

 Officials of both the University of Cape Coast and uniBank have inspected facilities at the Resource Centre for Alternative Media and Assistive Technology (R-CAMAT) at the basement of the main library.

Mr. Julius Braimah, officer-in-charge of the facility conducted the officials round the facility.

Unibank provided an amount of GH ¢43, 000 for the purchase of computers and accessories for use by the visually impaired and other physically challenged students of the university.

Speaking after the inspection tour of the facility, Vice-Chancellor, Prof. D. D. Kuupole said the physically challenged needed to be supported so that after their training they could be on their own to earn meaningful incomes for a decent livelihood. He indicated that he was particularly excited that “They can do something once God has endowed them with brains”. He thanked the bank for their generosity and gave the assurance that the facility would be put to good use and taken good care of to serve longer generations.

Head of New Business at the Bank’s Head Office, Mr. Richard Osei Anane said the donation is an indication of the banks' belief in Ghanaian institution for the provision of the best of training to the youth. He said whatever they have a profit from their operations; Unibank would not hesitate to use part of it to provide support, especially to the vulnerable of the society.

He was particularly happy that the students are ready to help train others who unfortunately suffer a similar fate as theirs. He called on staff of the facility to adopt good maintenance culture for the machines to serve many more students in the future.

Present at the ceremony was the Registrar, Mr. John K. Nyan, Librarian, Mr. Clement Entsua-Mensah, Director of Centre for International Education, Prof. Rosemond Boohene and other officials of both the library and Unibank.

Centre of Teaching Support Schools Lecturers

06 Jun, 2016 By louis Mensah

The Centre of Teaching Support (CTS) has organised a three-day comprehensive training programme for newly appointed Lecturers/Assistant Lecturers and Part Time Lecturers of the College of Education Studies.

The training programme was aimed at enhancing the professional development of the teaching staff by providing them opportunities to a range of andragogic approaches and new trends to support the teaching of courses including the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

In an interview with the Director of CTS, Dr. Douglas D. Agyei said the programme would help participants to develop hands-on capacity building skills in the preparation and use of course outlines during their first contact with students. He indicated that participants would be engaged in adopting effective ways of evaluating students’ progress and providing students’ feedbacks of their performances. In addition, the participants would explore different instructional strategies & basic techniques of teaching large classes for optimal learning as well as the use of ICT tools to promote interactive learning, discussion and thinking in teaching in large classes.

The resource persons for the programme were Prof. J. Ghartey-Ampiah, Prof. Eric M. Wilmot, and Dr. D. D. Agyei.

Prof.  Ghartey-Ampiah took the participants through “Effective First Day/Week in Class and    Strategies for Assessment and Feedback,” whilst Prof. Eric M. Wilmot made a presentation on “Multiple Choice Items and Essay Type Questions”.

Dr. Douglas D. Agyei handled “Teaching Large Classes and    Application of ICT   in Large Classes”. He also led participants to explore the topic of “Presentation Application as a Productivity Tool.

The participants indicated that the sessions were very insightful and they had learnt a lot of new things relevant to teaching their courses. They reiterated that the workshop is extended to other lecturers in the University especially Heads of Departments.

Centre of Teaching Support Schools Lecturers

06 Jun, 2016 By louis Mensah

The Centre of Teaching Support (CTS) has organised a three-day comprehensive training programme for newly appointed Lecturers/Assistant Lecturers and Part Time Lecturers of the College of Education Studies. The training programme was aimed at enhancing professional development of the teaching staff by providing them opportunities to a range of andragogic approaches and new trends to support teaching of courses including the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). In an interview with the Director of CTS, Dr. Douglas D. Agyei said the programme would help participants to develop hands-on capacity building skills in the preparation and use of course outlines during their first contact with students. He indicated that participants would be engaged in adopting effective ways of evaluating students’ progress and providing students’ feedbacks of their performances. In addition, the participants would explore different instructional strategies & basic techniques of teaching large classes for optimal learning as well as the use of ICT tools to promote interactive learning, discussion and thinking in teaching in large classes. The resource persons for the programme were Prof. J. Ghartey-Ampiah, Prof. Eric M. Wilmot, and Dr. D. D. Agyei. Prof.  Ghartey-Ampiah took the participants through “Effective First Day/Week in Class and    Strategies for Assessment and Feedback,” whilst Prof. Eric M. Wilmot made presentation on “Multiple Choice Items and Essay Type Questions”. Dr. Douglas D. Agyei handled “Teaching Large Classes and    Application of ICT   in Large Classes”. He also led participants to explore the topic on “Presentation Application as a Productivity Tool. The participants indicated that the sessions were very insightful and they had learnt a lot of new things relevant to teaching their courses. They reiterated that the workshop be extended to other lecturers in the University especially Heads of Departments.

University Community Sensitised on Campus Bat Control Project

01 Jun, 2016 By louis Mensah

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. D. D. Kuupole has commended the Department of Conservation Biology and Entomology for creating public awareness of the importance of biodiversity and how it could be utilized to promote safe environment for the Ghanaian society.

Prof. Kuupole gave this commendation during a ceremony to create awareness on the efforts of the department to help control the invasion of bats on the university campus.

In a speech read on his behalf by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof. G. K. T. Oduro, he said the invasion of the bats has been of great concern to management and therefore should be treated with all attention it deserved since they pose a direct health and economic risk to members of the UCC community and the general public.

While expressing concern for the disease dissemination roles of fruits bats, the Vice-Chancellor also acknowledged the positive socio–economic importance of fruit bats saying, “Experts in the field suggest that bats have been used for food and medicine”. According to him research has also shown that the anti-coagulant compound called salivary plasminogen activator found in the saliva of the bat is used to treat strokes. “Unlike alternative medicines, it can be administered even much later after stroke has occurred and still be effective. Physicians used bats to treat ailments of patients ranging from baldness to paralysis.”

He called on the team not end the project on bats only but all other things about biodiversity, not only on UCC campus and Cape Coast but also in Ghana and afar. He also challenged the entire nation to arise and turn the tide around for wildlife and biological resources for the generation,

In a presentation Dr. Justus Deikumah of the department said the bats on campus chose an urban settlement because they would not be harmed as compared to a rural settlement. It is as a result of the degradation of the environment according to Dr. Deikumah that is why the mammals are invading us and therefore advocated for regulations to keep biodiversity intact. “Bats are not foes but it depends on our treatment of the environment”, he said. Explaining the dangers posed by the animals to humans, the lecturer indicated that when one person gets contaminated the whole society would be at risk.

In another presentation, Prof. K. A. Monney reiterated that if the natural habitats of the animals were destroyed, then they would invade our bedrooms sooner than later. He called for research that will create harmony and peaceful co-existence with the bats. Prof. Monney commended management of the university for supporting the project.

UCC Builds Capacity of Affiliated Institutions

01 Jun, 2016 By louis Mensah

A two-day training workshop has been organised to build the capacity of Quality Assurance Officers in the various institutions affiliated to the University of Cape Coast.

The training workshop which was facilitated by the Institutional Affiliation Office in conjunction with the Directorate of Academic Planning and Quality Assurance of UCC was on the theme “Ensuring Academic Quality in Higher Education Institutions”

Addressing participants at the opening ceremony, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof. G. K. T. Oduro, noted that globally, quality in tertiary education has become very critical due to competition and the complex nature of higher education. He indicated that institutions of higher education could only become relevant if they maintain quality in all aspect of their services. He said issues of quality should not only be limited to academic engagement but must reflect in all the other service deliveries of institutions.

Prof. Oduro called on the affiliated institutions to consider quality in the context of creating an enabling environment. “If institutions can cope in a competitive environment then quality is assured,” he added. he expressed confidence that the workshop would help devise strategies that would transfer the knowledge to the institutions under the mentorship of UCC.

Speaking at the workshop, the Chairman of the Committee for Institutional Affiliation (CIA), Prof. Edward Marfo-Yiadom pointed out that UCC has over the years provided the best service to its affiliated institutions. He noted that since the establishment of the CIA, UCC has constantly been engaging the affiliated institutions to streamline their activities to conform to standards. He said UCC has always maintained participatory approach in the affiliation process adding “We want each affiliated institution to become chartered within record time so we need to engage you at every stage of the process.”

The Director of the Directorate of Academic Planning and Quality Assurance, Professor Kofi Awusabo-Asare in his presentation noted that, for a university to maintain a high standard of quality service delivery, mediocrity should be abhorred. Ensuring that quality is not compromised will not only earn the university a good reputation but will also position it to be a model for others to emulate, he stressed. He urged the officers to embrace excellence and perfection as tools to effectively promote the activities of their respective institutions to earn recognition both locally and internationally.

The workshop was attended by heads of quality assurance of 35 tertiary institutions affiliated to UCC.

PRO VICE-CHANCELLOR RECEIVES OFFICIALS FROM UNICEF GHANA

31 May, 2016 By louis Mensah

A delegation from UNICEF Ghana has paid a working visit to the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast at his Office.  On the purpose of the visit, the   leader of the team, Ms. Aarti Saihjee, Chief of Education, UNICEF Ghana indicated that the team visited  the Institute for Educational Planning and Administration and decided to pay a courtesy call on the Pro Vice-Chancellor to abreast themselves with the upcoming Second Easter-Annual Forum to be organised by the University.   Welcoming the officials, the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. George K.T. Oduro thanked the team for the visit. Briefing them on the mandate of UCC, Prof. Oduro said that UCC had diversified its programmes and introduced new ones, but still focuses on its primary responsibility of producing highly qualified and skilled manpower in education. He emphasised that forty per cent of students admitted into the University pursue education-related programmes, qualifying as professional teachers.   On the Institute for Educational Planning and Administration(IEPA), he said the Institute 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. He said the Institute had not lost its focus and indicated that UNICEF has been very supportive.  According to him. UNICEF has been collaborating with individuals at the IEPA and advocated for institutional collaboration between the University and UNICEF to conduct research. The Pro Vice-Chancellor noted that the University was currently concentrating “ how to prepare people who will create an enabling environment for early childhood education”. He said Ghana has no policy on Early Childhood Care Education and therefore the University of Cape Coast would be organising a national forum dubbed, “Early Childhood Care and Development: Strengthening Best Practices, Innovations and Research in Ghana”.   The leader of the team, Ms. Aarti Saihjee, Chief of Education, UNICEF Ghana expressed gratitude to UCC for the warm reception and the high sense of cooperation between UNICEF and IEPA. She promised, that the collaboration would be institutionalised instead of individual basis. She assured the Pro Vice-Chancellor that UNICEF would participate in the upcoming easter forum. Ms. Aarti Saihjee was accompanied by the Education Specialist of UNICEF, Mr. Madeez Adamu-Issah.  

YES Ghana Donates Sports Equipment to Basic Schools

31 May, 2016 By louis Mensah

The “Youth Enrichment through Sports” YES Ghana has donated sports equipment to selected basic schools in the Cape Coast metropolis.

The schools were the University of Cape Coast Primary School, Bakatsir Methodist Junior High School, OLA Presbyterian Basic School, University Practice Senior High School and Apewosika M/A Basic School.

Presenting the items, the Co-ordinator of the YES Ghana project, Prof. Joseph Ogah of the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, U.C .C. said the donation was in line with YES Ghana project which is designed to reach girls and boys at the Junior and Senior High schools levels using sports participation as a way to improve both physical activity and fitness levels, and also to educate the youth on the importance of healthy living. The project is a collaboration between Indiana University, USA and the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, University of Cape Coast.

The items consisted of over 5 handballs, 20 volleyballs, 20 soccer balls, 5 hand air pumps, 5 packets of 50 inflation needles, 5 rugby balls, 60 badminton rackets, 20 sleeves of shuttlecocks, 30 Frisbees and10 whistles.

Receiving the items, the various heads of the schools expressed appreciation to YES Ghana for the kind gesture and promised that the equipment would be put into good use for the benefit of the children.

Prof. Ogah was accompanied by Senior Sports Coach, Mr. Charles Obimpeh of the Sports Section of the University of Cape Coast.

All Set for UCC to Mentor Nurse Anaesthesia Training School

30 May, 2016 By louis Mensah

A delegation of Assessors from the University of Cape Coast Committee on Institutional Affiliation have met with staff of the Nurse Anaesthesia Training School(NATS), Ridge Hospital in Accra to interact and inspect facilities at the school.

The visit of the assessors was aimed at finalising NATS affiliation to the University of Cape Coast School of Nursing. Currently the Ministry of Health has approved the affiliation of degree top-up programmes of 12 Nursing Training Institutions to the University of Cape Coast.

As part of the affiliation process, the team of assessors are currently visiting all these 12 Nursing Institutions to explain the details of the affiliation with staff of these institutions.

Purpose of the Visit

In an opening remark during interaction with management and staff of NATS, the leader of the UCC team of Assessors, Dr. Justus Deikuma explained that the visit was intended to help them fulfill all requirements of the National Accreditation Board and the UCC in terms their academic and administrative structure as well as their activities. He stressed that “UCC stands for quality and therefore the team will ensure that every activity of NATS with regards to the degree programmes should conform to standards.”  He said UCC would continue to offer them directions to help adopt best practices as mentees to ran the programmes successfully and also prepare to become a chartered institution that can award its own degrees in the near future.

The Coordinator of the Institutional Affiliation Office, Mr. Justice Agyenim Boateng said the visit was to advise them on the structures and policies they need to put in place before NAB would finally approve their programmes. He pointed out that UCC was determined to assist NATS to successfully start the bachelor’s degree in September stressing that “Your students will be awarded UCC certificates so whatever goes on at NATS must conform to UCC standards. “He commended them for completing the curriculum for the programme within the stipulated time.

History of NATS

Giving a brief history of NATS, the Acting Principal of the School, Dr. Evans Atito-Narh said a team of medical doctors after realising the short fall of Anaesthestics Nurses in the region wrote a proposal to the Regional Health Service and other stakeholders who assisted them to establish the School in 2009. He said the school was initially running an 18 months post diploma programme in Anaesthesia but with the current upgrade the institution would now run a two-year top up degree which according to him “is a dream come true.” He assured the team that NATS would comply with all the rules and regulations by UCC and NAB to protect its status as an institution of excellence in the training of professional Anaesthestics in the country. He thanked the team especially staff of the Institutional Affiliation Office and Mr. Alexander Afrifa Darteh for their cooperation and warm reception anytime they call on them for assistance.

Other Members of UCC Team

Other members of the UCC team were Dr. De-Valera N. Y. M. Botchway, Ms Paulina N. Y. Kwafoa, Ms. Joyce Sam, Mr. Alex Allotey and Mr. Peter Fosu Thompson.

Champion Education for Sustainable Development-Nana Brew Butler Tells UCC Graduates

30 May, 2016 By louis Mensah

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.

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