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Presbyterian University College holds its first
congregation
Abetifi, March 9, Ghanadot/GNA- The Presbyterian University
College, has held its first congregation at the Okwahu
campus of the University at Abetifi in the Eastern Region.
Fifty-three students out of the 55 students admitted into
the University four years ago obtained first class honours,
second class upper, second class lower, third class and a
pass in BSC Business Administration and BSC/BA in
Information and Communication Technology.
In an address read on his behalf by Ms Elizabeth Ohene,
Minister of State in Charge of Tertiary Education, President
John Agyekum Kufuor said the Presbyterian Church had been a
faithful ally of government in providing the manpower needs
of the country since it established a primary school in 1843
and a training college in 1948.
He said Presbyterian schools used to produce highly
disciplined, hardworking and prudent students.
President Kufuor said the nation was looking forward to the
University to turn out graduates who would be expects in
their respective fields of specialization to enable them
compete in the global labour market.
He said the New Education Reform was aimed at producing
citizens who would be able to cope with the many varied
needs of life and to prepare the younger generation for
tertiary education for them to proceed for professional
training.
President Kufuor urged the country’s universities to design
programmes to reflect the general needs of the society and
move away from the present limited areas of specialization
and to also consult industries and other stakeholders to
ensure that their products met the needs of society.
He advised the graduates that they were entering the job
market at a time when the national micro economic indicators
promised high prospects for economic growth.
President Kufuor said the country needed skills in ICT and
business administration and advised personnel in those
fields to stay home and apply skills to enhance the
country’s development.
Professor Kofi Sraku-Lartey, principal of the University,
said the educational institution was a fee paying one,
opened to all people without discrimination on the basis of
religion, race, ethnic origin or gender with campuses at
Abetifi, Akuapem-Akropong and Asante Akyem Agogo.
He said the University, which started with 55 students four
years ago at the Abetifi campus, could now boast of 770
students with about 650 of them at the Okwahu campus.
Prof. Sraku-Lartey said an outreach centre had been set up
to design a framework on rural and community development in
the catchment areas of the various campuses and that the
University would work with educational institutions outside
the country.
He commended the Church, government and individuals for
their assistance to the University.
Prof. Sraku-Lartey appealed to individuals and organisations
to assist the University to the development its permanent
sites to enable it absorb the increasing number of
applicants.
The Omanhene of the Kwahu Traditional Area, Daasebre
Akuamoah Boateng II appealed to the people in the area to
support the University to enable it to become a centre of
academic excellence.
Present at the function were Mr Sam Okudzeto, the Chairman
of the University Council, Reverend Frimpong Manso,
Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rev. Herbert
Oppong, the Presbytery Clerk, Minister of Communications, Dr
Benjamin Aggrey Ntim and Mr Kwadwo Affram-Asiedu, Eastern
Regional Minister.
GNA
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