College of Education Launches Strategic Plan

Mr. Felix Nyarko-Pong, Chairman of the College of Education Advisory Board and Reverend Joyce Aryee, member of the College of Education Advisory Board cutting a tape to launch the Strategic Plan. Looking on are from left Prof. Audrey Gadzekpo, Dean of the School of Information and Communication Studies, Rev. Prof. Cephas Omenyo, Provost of the College of Education, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey, Vice-Chancellor and Mrs. Emelia Agyei-Mensah, College Secretary.

The first Strategic Plan of the College of Education, University of Ghana has been launched at a colourful ceremony.

The Strategic Plan, which is for the period 2016 -2021 is to guide the College as it works to meet the objectives for which it was set up, and embodies the core values of the College: Innovation, Responsiveness, Inclusion, Integrity, Commitment, Respect and Loyalty.

The Plan was the result of an extensive consultative process, involving various stakeholders of the College.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey, noted that as the newest of the four Colleges established when the University adopted the collegiate system, it was a good signal that the College of Education had developed a strategic plan to guide it in meeting its goals.

He commended distinguished educationist and member of the College Advisory Board, Prof. Jerome Siau Djangmah, for his contributions towards the establishment of the College. The Vice-Chancellor explained that the College was expected to train the core of a new breed of educators in the country, equipping them with the skills to significantly improve pedagogy in schools at various levels, change the educational landscape in the country, and thereby train young people better equipped to meet the development needs of Ghana.

Prof. Aryeetey speaking at the launch

Prof. Aryeetey commended the College for initiating training in assessment for academic staff in the wider University, and urged that this training should be extended to other areas. He also called on the College to keep up with technological advancements in the field, and continue to champion the use of ICT in teaching, learning and research throughout the University.

Provost of the College of Education, Reverend Professor Cephas Omenyo

The Provost of the College of Education, Reverend Prof. Cephas Omenyo, presented highlights of the Strategic Plan, noting that it had been developed through a consultative process with stakeholders within the College, across the university and other external stakeholders. He said, “the plan acknowledges the dynamic and competitive higher education landscape in Ghana today, the Colleges’ unique characteristics and circumstances and the need to effectively meet current and future challenges by being focused, strategic and tactical with our core competences and resources”.

He further highlighted the 10 priority areas of the Strategic Plan.

The Provost emphasized the goal of the College to become a World-Class ICT-driven research-intensive College over the five year period of the plan. He reiterated that the College was fully committed to implementing the goals of the Plan, and had undertaken to work with management, the university and all stakeholders to meet its goals, of becoming a World-Class ICT-driven research-intensive College by 2021, while also contributing to the broader vision of the University.

Mr. Felix Nyarko-Pong, Chairman of the College Advisory Board

The Strategic Plan was officially launched by Mr. Felix Nyarko-Pong, Chairman of the College’s Advisory Board, and Chief Executive Officer of uniBank Ghana Limited. He noted that the Strategic Plan gives the Advisory Board a much clearer picture of where the College wants to go, and the goals that the College has set for itself. He pledged that the Advisory Board would continue to work with College management to meet these, and guide the College in attaining set goals and benchmarks.

Mr. Nyarko-Pong called on management of the University to facilitate the work of the College by making available the resources needed for the realization of the College’s set goals and targets.

Mrs. Emelia Agyei-Mensah, College Secretary

Earlier in her welcome remarks, the College Secretary, Mrs. Emelia Agyei-Mensah, spoke about the process that led to the establishment of the College, noting that the College of Education was set up in August 2014 as part of the University’s adoption of the collegiate system of governance.

She said that the system was meant to decentralize academic and management functions, as well as decision making processes, in order to make these processes less bureaucratic and more structured, to enable prompt and efficient service to all stakeholders.

She emphasized that each Unit within the University of Ghana is expected to draw up its own strategic plan and objectives to fit into the vision of the University and to guide it to attain the purpose for which it was set up. The College Secretary was hopeful that with each Unit focusing on its strategic priorities, the University of Ghana would be well placed to meet its mission and vision.

Reverend Joyce Aryee launching the College cloth

The College took advantage of the ceremony to launch its first official cloth, which was designed to give the College a distinct identity, while at the same time emphasizing its status as a constituent unit of the University of Ghana. Reverend Joyce Aryee, Executive Officer of the Salt and Light Ministry, and a member of the College Advisory Board, performed the official launch, and explained that the College cloth is based on the University’s logo, with its design incorporating traditional adinkra symbols:

The cloth also incorporates the University’s motto Integri Procedamus: progress with integrity, and the founding date of the College; August 2014.

College staff showcasing the cloth

UG Officials, members of the CoE Advisory Board, invited Guests and staff in Group Photographs