Most Reverend Dr. Paul Boafo, the chairman of the Methodist University Ghana (MUG) Governing Council, has urged the government to take state support for private universities into consideration.
He went on to say that this would increase the capacity of private universities in the areas of training and research, which would be extremely advantageous for the nation.
At the university’s 20th congregation, which took place over the weekend in Accra, Most Rev. Dr. Boafo gave a speech.
The event, with the theme “Promoting excellent tertiary education in the post-COVID-19 era: The role of private institutions,” saw 733 students receive a variety of undergraduate and graduate degrees and diplomas.
Out of the total, 525 of the students were undergraduates and 208 were graduate students.
Additionally, 12 special awards—five for undergraduate students and seven for graduate students—were given to deserving graduating students for their outstanding achievement.
Mr. Benjamin Donkor was named the top undergraduate student overall and awarded a cash prize and a trophy.
The Most Rev. Dr. Boafo stated, “We would like to take this opportunity to ask government to look at state support (partially) of private universities especially in capacity building.
After years of affiliation with the University of Ghana (UG), Legon, the Most Rev. Dr. Boafo expressed his deep thanks to the government for awarding the MUG a Presidential Charter this year, enabling it to become independent.
He went on to reaffirm the Methodist Church’s support for the MUG, adding that “the university administration will continue to receive from us the assistance they need to carry out the MUG’s mandate.”
The chairman also advised the graduates to be honorable representatives of the university by making excellent use of their newly acquired knowledge, skills, attitudes, and training.
Mr. Byran Acheampong, the invited speaker and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Abetifi, pushed the MUG and other private colleges to adapt and move away from traditional formats and toward a hybrid of on-campus and online instruction using virtual classrooms.
In order to improve successful teaching and learning, Mr. Acheampong believed that educational instructors in the modern period should demonstrate qualities of leadership, teamwork, innovation, and information technology.
He urged the government to give private schools the support they require to help advance high standards of education.
The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and the Nursing and Midwifery Council have given MUG permission to expand its Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Nursing program to its Dansoman and Tema campuses, according to the university’s acting vice chancellor, Very Rev. Professor John David Kwamena Ekem.
According to him, this came after the University requested permission from the two regulatory agencies to start the program on its Wenchi campus last year.
All three sites are anticipated to begin offering the curriculum in January of next year.
Really Rev. A final GTEC permission was required, according to Prof. Ekem, for the institution to offer further programs such the Master of Arts (MA) in Public Policy and Governance, Resource Management and Organizational Development, and Corporate Leadership and Governance.
Others include a doctorate in counseling psychology, an MSc in supply chain management and accounting, and a master’s degree in accounting.
He did, however, mention that GTEC had been requested to approve programs including the Bachelor of Science in Public Health Nursing and Entrepreneurship and Wealth Creation.
The university, according to Very Rev. Prof. Ekem, entered into partnerships with universities from other nations as a means of disseminating knowledge and skills in disciplines pertinent to the overall development of the world. The university plans to build on these partnerships in the upcoming academic year.
He acknowledged that the university had faced difficulties due to the fall in student enrollment since 2013, but he was optimistic that things would improve as the institution worked to create strategies and action plans to deal with the problem.
Vice chancellors from various public and private universities who were present at the service sent messages of goodwill.
