University Of Ghana Revamps Distance Education

The University of Ghana (UG) is making frantic efforts to revamp and resource its Centre for Continuing Education and Distance Learning in order to reach out to more people across the country.

According to the Vice Chancellor, Prof Ernest Aryeetey, the move is aimed at upgrading facilities of the centre to meet the standards of modern day distance education.

Prof Aryeetey who is on a working visit to the Upper West Region, made the statement when he called on the Regional Minister, Alhaji Isaaku Salia, at his office in Wa.

He said his visit was to know at first hand the state of the facilities at the Wa centre, which was formerly the adult education learning centre, and also to fraternise with the staff. He is also to know the programmes of study and interact with the alumni of the University of Ghana in the region.

Professor Aryeetey, who was accompanied by the Director of the Centre for Continuing Education and Distance Learning, Prof Yaw Oheneba-Sekyi, and other staff of the university noted that the university had made distance education a major part of its programme.

To this end, he said there was the need to revamp and reorient Ghanaians on distance education, adding that “It is in this regard that we would want to renovate the centre and resource it, with the support of the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) and the other local government authorities”.

He said that was to ensure that people who qualified to have university education did not miss the opportunity due to their geographical location.

Prof Aryeetey further hinted that the university would in November this year organise a special homecoming event for all the alumni to visit the campus to interact and deliberate on the way forward for the university.

He added that as part of the homecoming programme “We are currently restructuring and rebuilding the halls and other structures to make them more hospitable”.

The Upper West Regional Minister, Alhaji Issaku Salia, in his response stressed the importance of education in the life of every individual and the nation at large, and said it reduced poverty because through education people would be empowered to move on with their lives as responsible individuals.

Alhaji Salia said the expansion of the distance education programme had, and would pave way for many people to have university education.

For his part, Prof Yaw Oheneba-Sekyi appealed to the minister to support the centre to be able to organise its annual Easter School.

He explained that the southern part of the country held the New Year School while the northern sector was supposed to be holding the Easter School. “However, the centre has within the last two years not been able to hold its Easter School,” he stated.