The University of Cape Coast School of Business(UCCSoB) in pursuance of its vision to become the best Business School in Africa has launched a development fund in Accra to propel the school to deliver on its mandate. The fund is managed by a nine-member board of trustees, who are expected to invest in the development of infrastructure, student support, as well as teaching and research activities. Launching the fund, the Chairman of UCC Council, Nana Brew-Butler, said the UCCSoB since its inception has trained students to take advantage of opportunities in all aspects of the economy and most especially in most of the corporate organisations. He noted that with the requisite infrastructure facilities, the UCCSoB would have the capacity to expand its tentacles to train more competent graduates to contribute significantly towards building the nation. He said the fund would lay a solid foundation for the provision of infrastructure projects like buildings, student support services, teaching and research activities. Explaining the purpose of the development fund, the Dean of the UCCSoB, Professor Edward Marfo-Yiadom, said in order to position the school to achieve its vision of becoming the best in Africa in the near term there was the need for massive investment in the activities of the school. He said the school needed to improve its physical infrastructure, improve Information Technology facilities for teaching and learning and also recruit high qualified faculty to handle courses at the school. He announced that the school has planned to introduce a Doctor of Philosophy programme in the next academic year in addition to its existing undergraduate and master’s level. Funds raised, according to him would be invested for a period and a percentage of the investment income, would be used to support various activities of the school. He said sources of the funds would include student and alumni contributions, corporate bodies/organisations, individuals support and the school’s internally generated funds. The Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Head of Retail Banking at Standard Chartered Bank, Mr. Henry Baye called on alumni of the UCCSoB and the business community to donate to the fund. He noted that the school needed the investment to be able to produce graduates who could compete as global citizens in the world. At the end of the event, about GH ¢160, 000 was raised, with assurance from alumni groups and corporate organisations for more support. The event was spiced by melodious tunes from the Tema Youth Choir. In attendance were alumni, faculty and staff of the UCCSoB, Corporate organisations and some members of the University Community.

The University of Cape Diamond Club has held its first working session at Tang Palace Hotel, Accra to develop strategies to guide members to promote the image of the university and enhance Higher Education in Ghana.

Opening the working session, the Chairman of Council, Nana Sam Brew Butler said members of the club have been divided into three groups namely Academic and Research team, Business/Enterprise    team and Public/Social Services team. He explained that the categorisation was intended to help develop and generate ideas as well as build implementation cells on key contemporary issues concerning Higher Education in general and UCC in particular.  “Your contribution at the working session will help shape the overall context and future within which Higher Education operates”, he emphasised.

Nana Butler assured members that deliberations at the session would be documented as policy briefs for dissemination to members, the University Council, National Council for Tertiary Education, the Ministry and other stakeholders in Education. He further stated that the deliberations would form the basis for future working sessions of the club and shall provide the context within which each group shall contribute ideas and resources to the University.

Touching on incentives for members of the club, Nana Butler said the University was appreciative of the great investment of their time, energy and resources that they were investing UCC through the Diamond Club. He mentioned that after five years each member would be honored by the University and added that “Going forward, the University is putting in place various incentives for members of the Diamond Club including honorable mentions, honorary doctorates, honorary alumni statuses, references and recommendations, consultancies and many other forms of recognition.

Leaders of each of the groups made presentations of what transpired during the working session.

The Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof. George K. T. Oduro, has entreated traditional leaders to contribute meaningfully to promote quality education in the communities under their jurisdiction.

He observed that education has been globally identified as a key ingredient in accelerating development in both personal and societal contexts.

Prof. Oduro made this call when he delivered an address at the coronation and swearing of oath ceremony of Ohene Nana Kweku Tondor V and Obaahemaa Nana Akua Suapem Nyaniba II at Dehia in the Central Region. Obaahemaa Nana Akua Suapem Nyaniba II known in private life as Prof. Elizabeth Afriyie, a professor at the Department of Science and Mathematics Education, University of Cape Coast.

The Pro-Vice-Chancellor noted that Dehia Community could only accelerate her pace of development when traditional leaders, with the support of opinion leaders and other stakeholders prioritise educational issues in their development agenda. “Indeed, there is no aspect of our nation’s development agenda that could be pursued without reference to education: be it teaching, medicine, security, agriculture, engineering, accounting and others,” he stressed. He therefore expressed confidence that the Queen mother of Dehia who is an astute academic would put more premium on educational issues, influence government policies on education and attract other stakeholders to support educational initiatives in their communities.

While acknowledging the indispensable role played by education in the development of the nation, he singled out the crucial role teachers play in the education enterprise noting that “the teacher is the pivot around which quality education evolves.” He indicated that the teacher’s role has become multifaceted and they were expected to assume the responsibility of a counselor, mentor, surrogate parent, nutritionist, spiritual guide, banker and even social welfare activist. He said teachers grapple with increasing complex public expectations pointing out that “failures in home and community responsibilities, failures of politicians in children’s socialization, inefficiencies in sex education, difficulties in youth employment, weaknesses in traffic education, littering in our environment and many others have all become a liability on the teacher’s job.”

Prof. Oduro urged traditional leaders to put in place measures that would cater for the welfare of teachers and also adequately resource them to perform their work to expectation.   He reminded the Ohene Nana Kweku Tondor V and Obaahemaa Nana Akua Suapem Nyaniba II that “Traditional leaders have a social capital which, if applied positively, could influence policies and also open opportunities for attracting external support for community development, particularly in the area of education.” He was also quick to add that “But this social capital can make the desired impact if traditional leaders demonstrate a relational orientation devoid of partisanship and other sectional ideological differences.”

The Metropolitan Chief Executive of Cape Coast, Ms. Priscilla Arhin who spoke at the function called on traditional leaders to reactivate the respect for traditional values. She expressed worry that western taste in terms of food, dressing and dancing were gradually suppressing the valuable cultural practices of Ghanaians. She, therefore, called on teachers to incorporate traditional cultural values and practices.

In her remarks at the ceremony, the Obaahemaa Nyaniba II appealed to the people in the Dehia community to live in peace and unity. She implored them to support the chief to advance the development of the town. She also assured the people that they would help to improve access and quality of education in the community especially at the basic level adding that “this will create a good foundation for the pupils to pursue second cycle and tertiary education so that they can also become responsible leaders of the country.”