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Catholic University holds Second
Congregation
Sunyani (B/A), Nov. 24, Ghanadot/GNA – Twenty nine (29)
students who undertook four-year degree courses in various
disciplines at the Catholic University College of Ghana (CUCG),
Fiapre near Sunyani have graduated at a ceremony to mark the
second congregation of the University.
The students received First, Second and Third Class Honours
in theoretical and practical training in subject areas such
as BSc. Computer Science, BSc. Economics and Business and BA
in Religious Studies.
In his welcoming address, Most Reverend Joseph Osei-Bonsu,
Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Catholic University
College of Ghana, Fiapre, said; “the Catholic church from
the beginning of its existence saw its evangelizing mission
as having not only a spiritual but a material dimension,
thus, enabling the Church to put premium on education.
“It is this vision of education that inspired the Catholic
Church in Ghana many years ago to establish schools at the
primary and secondary levels in the country. It was this
same vision that inspired the Ghana Catholic Bishops in 1997
to conceive the idea of establishing a Catholic University
in the country as a logical step to make education
accessible to all,” he stated.
Most Reverend Joseph Osei-Bonsu, appealed to the graduands
to justify the investment made on their education and live a
morally upright lives by not allowing themselves to be
driven by the inordinate desire for money and give in to
corrupt practices.
He said today’s society is characterized by immorality,
indiscipline, bribery and corruption, misappropriation of
public funds, killing, rape and sexual promiscuity and
warned that their involvement in any of these would not, in
any way benefit society.
“Against this background it’s incomprehensible and
mind-boggling that the new education reforms should leave
out of the syllabus Moral and Religious Education, and
consign it to be taught as a mere “concept” in the teaching
of English and other subjects. The teaching of Religious and
Moral Education as a subject in its own right was to promote
proper moral formation of the human person as advocated by
Catholic Bishops in a Conference on Education in Kumasi
recently”, he added.
Professor James Hawkins Ephraim, Vice-Chancellor of CUCG,
thanked the leaderships of Reverend Father Dr. Micheal
Schultiess and Professor Ebow Mensah, as President and
former Acting President respectively for initially heading
the administration of the University as their good works has
culminated in laying a solid foundation upon which the CUCG
now stands.
The Vice-Chancellor noted that the introduction of two new
faculties, Public Health and Allied Sciences and Education
have seen an increase in the population of students from 50
students in 2003 to 902 students in 2007.
“Reports from institutions and establishments where our
students do industrial attachments and establishments where
our first graduates have found their way indicate that our
products are measuring up to the aspirations of the founding
fathers”, he stated.
He however, said the University expects to make a partial
movement to the permanent site with facilities such as a
resource centre (made up of computer and language
laboratories, a library and classroom block) in the
2008/2009 academic year.
“The contractors have assured us that come April 2008, they
will be able to handover the buildings to the University”,
he reiterated.
Professor Ephraim reiterated; “the resolve of the University
to instill discipline in its students in order to maintain
high academic standards and to develop and produce men and
women who are adequately equipped with the appropriate
capacities to lead useful and fulfilling lives to the
service of God and humanity.”
The Vice-Chancellor said the University intends to introduce
the following undergraduate programmes as soon as
accreditation from the National Accreditation Board is
obtained: Diploma Programme in Nursing, Certificate, Diploma
and Degree programmes in Agriculture, Degree Programme in
Environmental Science, Degree Programme in Actuarial Science
and Programme in Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR).
He said tuition fees is the main sources of funding for the
University but instead of making profit the University was
rather making losses because the institution has the lowest
fees in the league of private universities in Ghana and
therefore received financial support from various dioceses
in Ghana as well as local and international benefactors.
He expressed the University’s appreciation to the
benefactors and encouraged all stakeholders to offer
assistance in that direction to support the institution to
achieve its objective of providing quality education.
Mr. Francis Poku, National Security Adviser, who spoke on
behalf of President Kufuor said this was the time Ghana
needed them most and as such, it was imperative for the
country to have them work in Ghana since their skills,
discipline and high moral values were needed in the
country’s service sector.
President Kufuor commended the Catholic Bishops for their
insightful care of human development in partnering with the
government to deliver quality education to the people and
was high on government’s policy agenda and budgeting.
He reiterated government’s commitment to eliminate or reduce
massive illiteracy which is demonstrated by the introduction
of some government’s intervention.
The President said it is government’s objective to mobilize
the skills of the youth towards creativity and the
understanding of the country’s culture and to ensure that
tertiary institutions churn out graduates who are employable
on the job market.
He promised to help new graduates find work and urged
businesses to offer practical placements of graduates into
various work places as volunteers, adding “this scheme would
enable businesses to impart on-the-job skills to otherwise
unemployed graduates.
The government, the President, said would make financial
contributions to both volunteers and businesses through the
National Youth Employment Programme in that direction.
He appealed to businesses and universities to cooperate in
all areas of research and development of agro-based
processing to produce more jobs and challenge the
importation of finished products.
He also expressed the government’s willingness to support
the university’s plans and efforts.
GNA
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