College of Health Sciences Organises 2018 Educational Summit

Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, Deputy Minister of Education in charge of secondary education

The College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, in collaboration with the Ghana National Exchange Programme School has launched the 2018 Educational Summit at the R.S. Amegashie Hall, University of Ghana Business School under the theme: “UG @ 70 – Bridging the Gap between Secondary and University Education in Ghana: the Role of Stakeholders”.

The summit is a pre-tertiary education exchange programme for students in senior high schools (SHS), aimed at bridging the gap between secondary and university education in the country. It also provides a platform for the Heads of Senior High Schools and students to be informed on programmes and career choices as well as what is required of a potential applicants of the University of Ghana.

Ultimately, deliberations at the summit would lead to the development of intervention models to address the gaps between secondary and university education. Heads of some selected Senior High Schools in Accra attended the summit with their students.

Rev. Prof. Patrick F. Ayeh-Kumi, Provost of the College of Health Sciences, in his welcome address thanked the participants and said, the summit was part of the year-long UG @ 70 anniversary celebrations. He indicated that one of the important issues that needed to be addressed was students’ preparedness towards entering the University. According to Prof. Ayeh-Kumi, the importance of orientation programmes to adequately prepare students for University education cannot be over-emphasised. He stated that students need to know exactly what is expected of them at the higher education as well as admission requirements into the University.

The Executive Director of the Ghana National Exchange Programme School (GNEPS), Mr. Kobla Asamani underscored the significance of the Summit by indicating that it would afford SHS students the opportunity to be abreast with requisite information to decide on the choice of university and programmes to pursue.

Mr. Kobla Asamani, Executive Director of GNEPS

The Guest Speaker for the summit, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, Deputy Minister of Education in charge of secondary education, in his address, lauded the initiative and described it as a tool that would help bridge the yawning gap between secondary and university education in the country. He decried the gap between the two systems and underscored the need for universities in the country to collaborate with Senior High Schools to narrow the gap in order to give confidence to students who desire to pursue university education.

Dr. Leticia Adelaide Appiah, Executive Director of the National Population Council, stated that education was a powerful instrument for acquiring new skills and abilities to improve a person’s quality of life. According to her, finding a sustainable solution to bridging the gap between secondary and University education, requires identifying the root cause and clearly defining it.

The Guest of Honour, Ms. Christine Churcher, a former Minister of Education, who launched the programme, said education was the only tool that could break the barriers of status. She advised the students to take advantage of every opportunity to get educated as it was a great equalizer the world over.

Ms. Christine Churcher, Guest of Honour at the launch of the programme

H.E. Mrs. Claudia Turbay Quintero, Colombian Ambassador to Ghana, in a solidarity message, encouraged the students to work hard to attain the heights they wished for themselves in their education.

The Spanish Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Alicia Rico, who was the Special Guest of Honour, urged the students to take their education serious to be able to climb high the academic ladder.

H.E. Alicia Rico, Spanish Ambassador to Ghana