EKGS Institute passes out 110 graduates

EKGS Institute, one of the foremost culinary institutions in the country, has passed out 110 graduates, Sunday.

The graduates who cut across the various departments namely; Cake Making and Decorating-Sugarcraft, Pastry Arts, Cookery Arts and Floral Décor walked to the dais to receive their certificates after six months intensive and comprehensive training.

Addressing the 35th graduation ceremony held at the National Theatre on June 19, 2016 under the theme "Culinary Arts Education: Key to National Development", Director of the Institute, Efua Otuwa Goode Obeng Kyei, congratulated the graduating class for distinguishing themselves and aiming for a skill that will be with them for life.

A section of the graduating class
According to her, “The culinary industry plays significant roles in the hospitality and tourism industry by way of satisfying the appetite of patrons and industry players.”

She disclosed the core belief of the institution is to train individuals to know and appreciate “the relationship between what people eat and their cultural heritage” adding “What people consume defines what they are and encompasses their national identity and values.”

Touching on some of the challenges facing the industry, Mrs Kyei decried what she described as “the lack of collaboration between the health authorities and culinary industry players.”

This she said is important to help “sensitise the populace to good culinary practices and nutritional choices.”

Some of the graduants
“Without such collaboration, the culinary industry alone cannot achieve much, thereby keeping the good things the industry is capable of achieving away from the people who stand to benefit from the good things,” she said.

She urged the government to provide the needed logistical support to the industry to ensure that contribution of the industry is felt in the overall Ghanaian economy.

The certificate awarding moment
Mrs Kyei also called on the “managers of our national economy to endeavor to make the economy as business-friendly as possible by waiving taxes on some of the things we use in our industry to make it easier to operate it.”

She challenged the graduating class to go out into the world to make a difference in the life of the country saying they are “expected to spread the good news that the culinary industry holds the key to equipping our young men and women with the skills that need to be on their own.”

The Director, Mrs Kyei with AGI's National Treasurer, Mrs Osafo-Addo inspecting handworks of the graduating class

On her part, National Treasure of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Leticia Osafo-Addo lauded the institute for its good works in the country.

She said the Arts industry plays such an important role in the country that it was time government invested money into it to help create more jobs for the teeming unemployed youth.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com