Accept innovative ideas to revamp university education - Otabil

Pastor Mensa Otabil, Head Pastor of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), on Friday called for public acceptance of innovative ideas to reform university education in the country.
He said if the country continued to remain comfortable with old and familiar successful educational initiatives, revamping tertiary education would be a mirage.
"The net effect is that we have become very impatient and intolerant
of any new idea that does not sound familiar. A nostalgic nation cannot
have the will to face its present crisis."
Pastor Otabil, who is also the Chancellor of the Central University College, said this at the dedication ceremony of the City Campus of the African University College of Communications (AUCC) in Accra.
Formerly known as the African Institute of Journalism (AIJC), the College would now offer degree courses in addition to the diploma and other certificate courses for professional advancement in the field of communications.
Pastor Otabil said innovative ideas could therefore thrive only in an open and tolerant atmosphere.
"If what we have done in the past is found inadequate to our present demands, then bold initiatives would have to be sought," he added.
He therefore called for the support of government, stakeholders in education and the entire civil society to revamp the tertiary education system.
Pastor Otabil applauded the board, management and staff for the visionary project and advised the students to emulate such visionary qualities in order
to excel in life.
Mr. Kojo Yankah, founder of AUCC, said the College would provide technical and technological facilities and skills needed in the 21st Century in the wake of recent concern for falling journalism standards.
He said a survey on African media by the BBC World Service in 2005 revealed that although Ghana was highly placed for its political stability and press freedom, quality of radio programming was low, due to lack of expertise.
Mr Yankah said the research also showed that newspaper publications were
of low quality in Ghana, adding that freedoms gained from the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law was being abused for irresponsible journalism.
He said the College was also into talks to introduce an online distance education programme and would also design courses to focus on pan-African lessons on African social and indigenous systems.
Nii Tackie Tawiah III, Ga Mantse, also commended private institutions and religious bodies for their support to the educational sector.
He challenged the educated to think beyond imagination and apply their knowledge effectively to transform society.
The occasion was also used to matriculate 32 students to undertake degree courses in Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing and Advertising