Education In Focus: The UDS Field Practical Training Programme (TTFPP) And The Need For Other Universities To Adopt Similar Programmes

Since its inception in 1992 (and backed by PNDC Law 279), the University for Development Studies (UDS) has grown significantly in all aspects including Campuses, Programmes and physical development. UDS was established with its main purpose of accelerating development in the North by bridging the North and South dichotomy in particular, and ensuring total development of the country at large.

The University has since distinguished itself as a pro-poor based, academically inclined, results oriented and field based as well as development focused University in the whole Ghana. With limited infrastructure, the University still command great deal of retrospect in the advancing the academic excellence in the country.

The University has introduced programmes over the years to meet the development needs of the country. Even though less endowed and a pro-poor based university, UDS has continually giving prior attention to female students and those from rural folds.

This admission criterion is to give opportunity to most students irrespective of their social background to climb the highest pedestal of learning. The University has excelled in various aspects of the academic performance and its students are viewed worldwide as not only the best, but also real and practical developmentalists.

Perhaps, one of the most outstanding features that distinguish UDS from any other University in the world is its Third Trimester Field Practical Programme (TTFPP). All Universities run two semester system, but in case of UDS, there is a third semester.

This semester is specifically devoted to community work. During this time, students are normally grouped and dispatched to rural communities to undertake a thorough study of the community.

In this regard, students are expected to stay and live with the community members, learn their way of life, study their rural conditions, do community profiling, identify community problems and potentials, and draw community action plans (CAPs) aims at addressing the problems of rural societies.

The TTFPP gives students the opportunity to put classroom knowledge into field practice. Students are again giving opportunity to learn group dynamics, team work and group leadership.

One unique benefit of the TTFPP is that students are expose to different socio-cultural conditions, so they learn how to live and work with different cultural groups, and also appreciate and tolerate different cultural values and practices. The spirit of social work, appreciation of rural life and most importantly commitment to rural work are all benefits of the third trimester programme.

One interesting story that a friend told me after our first year TTFPP is this, “I have never knew that life is not linear. I was born and raised in city and I thought Ghana is in Accra. I never knew that there is life outside Accra. But today, I have come to appreciate life outside the city.

Had it not been UDS I would have lost completely. I thank UDS for giving me such life experience. I promise I will set-up an NGO to take care of the disadvantaged people in rural areas in Ghana after my completion. God bless UDS and long live TTFPP”.

This story may seem to be fabricated but it's a true life testimony to the TTFPP in UDS. For my personal experience, I can boost of having an edge over my colleagues from other Universities when it comes to field experience.

Colleagues from other Universities do call on me for tutorials on community entry techniques, PRA tools, and how to conduct community studies. All these are my skills, courtesy of UDS. It is worth adding that community work is very interesting and benefiting and I must say that nothing can be interesting as to living, interacting, working and relating to people in your daily life, as the saying goes, 'human is a social being and have the innate desire to associate and interact'.

With all these experiences, what can be more profiting to a student than gaining practical experience even before completing school? If all other Universities will adopt similar programmes like the University for Development Studies, then the development needs of Ghana will be a cry of the past. For UDS and its community based practical programme, all students who have the opportunity should be proud of.

It would therefore be much expedient by the state and other civil society groups to give greater attention to the infrastructural deficits and human resource development of the University, to enable it play its role of bridging the national development gaps in the country.

Indeed, University for Development Studies is a model of development and shall be a shining example for others Universities, no wonder its motto is “Knowledge for Service”, and we (products of UDS) shall serve the development needs of mother Ghana.

***Ibrahim Abu Azabre
(Ex-student, UDS), [email protected]
0240393109***