The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has inaugurated the governing councils of the University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences (UEAS), the Jasikan College of Education and the Executive Committee of the Ghana National Commission for UNESCO to oversee the affairs of the respective institutions and the commission.
The ceremony, held at the Ministry of Education in Accra, yesterday, May 12, saw the swearing-in of 33 members from the three bodies which includes 12 members from UEAS, 13 members from the Jasikan College of Education and 10 from Executive Committee of UNESCO tasked with supporting educational development, governance and policy implementation in the country.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Iddrisu charged the newly inaugurated members to provide effective leadership and support the government’s efforts to improve access to quality tertiary education and strengthen institutional governance.
He said the government expected the UEAS at Bonsu in the Eastern Region to admit its first batch of 800 students into the Schools of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences before October 30 this year.
“The expectation of the President is that on or before October 30 this year, you would have facilitated the admission of the first cohort of students for the University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences,” he said.
The chairpersons of the newly inaugurated boards were UEAS Prof. Kweku Danso; the Jasikan College of Education, Nana Dr Norbert Adja Kwabena Adjei and the Chairperson for the Executive Committee of UNESCO, Rev. Fr Daniel Kwadzo Lenwah.
University project
The minister of education said the establishment of the university, which commenced in April 2022, would cost the state about $90 million.
He said work on the project stalled in December 2022 following the country’s debt restructuring programme and economic challenges, but added that the government had resumed payments to enable the contractor to complete the project.
The minister explained that the outstanding works included the central administration block, schools of engineering and agriculture, library, assembly hall, student hostels, staff accommodation and ICT infrastructure.
He added that financial clearance had been granted for the recruitment of at least 150 academic and non-academic staff for the institution.
“The government will simply not run on the principles that will dictate their pace; we will be social and we will reflect social values and social concerns in the delivery of that public good,” he said.
Appreciation
On behalf of the two institutions, Prof. Boafo expressed appreciation to President John Dramani Mahama for the confidence reposed in the members.
He said the council would work to position the university as a leading institution in engineering and agricultural sciences.
“Our collective experience will definitely propel us to turn the University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences into, I’m not going to say one of the best, but the best,” he said.
Prof. Boafo said the council would study challenges confronting the country and develop systems that would adequately prepare students in critical sectors such as engineering and agriculture.
UNESCO
For his part, Mr Moukala said the inauguration of the executive committee was a significant step in strengthening the country’s intellectual, scientific and cultural development.
He said the committee would serve as a bridge between UNESCO’s global priorities and Ghana’s development agenda.
“The committee serves as the think tank that ensures that Ghana does not just participate in global trends, but leads them,” he said.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh