Participants in a group photograph at the workshop
The Acting Provost of the College of Education, Prof. Martin Oteng-Ababio, has called on the University to weave different undergraduate and postgraduate courses run by various departments into the Distance Education Programme to suit the diverse needs of people who desire to engage in higher education. Prof. Oteng-Ababio was speaking at a two-day workshop organised by the School of Continuing and Distance Education (SCDE), under the College of Education, to develop initiatives towards the revamping of the Distance Education Programme. The workshop was an avenue for College Management, Co-ordinators and faculty from participating departments to dialogue and resolve gaps in the delivery of the Distance Education programme.
The Acting Provost thanked all participants for their presence. He was hopeful that the gathering would be a time to reflect and craft progressive strategies on how the Distance Education model could be run. Reiterating the huge potential of the Distance Education Programme in the educational sphere, he pointed out that there was the need to fashion out a different approach in order to obtain better results. Prof. Oteng-Ababio, therefore, encouraged participants to team up in developing roadmaps that would make the programme attractive to achieve the desired results.
The Acting College Secretary, Mr. Joseph Oduro Nkansah, indicated that the workshop sought to provide a platform to empower stakeholders and to develop strategies to improve the Distance Education model. He was of the view that although the programme seemed to be at an infantile stage, it possessed a lot of potential that could be harnessed to expand the scope and access to education. Consequently, he charged the participants to put their best foot forward in order to make the model a great asset to the College and the University at large.
A cross-section of participants at the workshop
In brief remarks, the Dean of the School of Continuing and Distance Education, Prof. Olivia Kwapong, pointed out that the College’s management is creating an enabling environment and is responsive to proposals from faculty and students seeking to boost the operations of the programme. She advocated for the need to work in teams, and urged participants to identify challenges and propose solutions that would yield excellent results.
Prof. Martin Oteng-Ababio and Prof. Olivia Kwapong in a photograph with students of the Distance Education Programme
Dr. Ama Boafo- Arthur, Acting Head, Department of Distance Education, also spoke on diverse topics including overview of the admission processes, level of infrastructure, appointment of co-ordinators and faculty as well as student support systems.
Presentations were also made by the Co-ordinators of the Distance Education programme and faculty from participating schools and departments in the Distance Education programme. The student representatives of the Distance Education programme also enumerated their concerns about the programme and called on College management to engage the student body throughout the revamping.
Present at the workshop were Mr. Michael Owusu Ansah, College Finance Officer; Mrs. Cynthia Adu, College Academic Affairs Officer; Dr. Frank Akasreku, Lecturer, University of Ghana Business School; Dr. Jonathan Odame, Department of Distance Education and Mrs. Regina Afari-Boateng, School Administrator. Mr. Bright Afeku, Ms. Perpetual Acquah and Mr. Memphis Giveway represented students of the Distance Education programme during the workshop.
A group photograph of participants at the workshop
