UDS Vice Chancellor Appeals To Government …To Support The University's Practical Programme
Professor Haruna Yakubu, Vice Chancellor of University for Development Studies (UDS), Tamale, has appealed to the government to support the university maintain its field practical programme.
He explained that the programme helped to enrich the capacity of the youth for the socio-economic development of the country.
Prof. Yakubu said lack of funding had been a major challenge in the implementation of the field programme, as enrolment continued to increase.
The Vice Chancellor made the appeal at the opening ceremony of the 2013 Third Trimester Field Practical Programme (TTFPP) in Sunyani to dispatch 3,333, Level 100 students of the university to 33 communities in 10 districts of the Brong-Ahafo Region.
Prof. Yakubu explained that the TTFPP was an integral part of the curriculum that ensured both students and staff of the university worked closely with rural and deprived communities, with the focus to reduce poverty.
He said the programme was a core of the university's academic activities that enabled students and community members to identify development problems and challenges, and formulate specific interventions to overcome them.
The TTFPP is a compulsory academic programme of UDS, and under-graduate students cannot successfully graduate from the university without fully participating of the programme, he said.
Prof. Yakubu added that the programme was aimed at placing the university in a better position to provide useful services, through the exchange of knowledge and its applications to address the developmental needs and aspirations of the communities.
He mentioned that the TTFPP was an informing on-going research that ensured that teaching and learning activities of the university are designed to meet the developmental needs of the people, and has a direct relevance to the decentralisation policy of the government, which has gained popularity in and outside the boundaries of Ghana.
Prof. Yakubu observed that the practical skills gained by UDS graduates from the programme makes them the more preferred choice on the job market, particularly in community-based assignments.
He entreated all stakeholders to be pro-active in approaching the university to make use of the vast amount of development related generated by the UDS out of the TTFPP programme.
The UDS Vice-Chancellor said international students from Germany and the USA were taking part in this year's practical programme, as well as 100 lecturers to serve as supervisors in the region.
He advised the students not to take unnecessary risks during the programme, and do observe with caution and moderation to report any unusual situation to the supervisors.
Prof. Agnes Apusigah, Dean of Faculty of Education of the University, who chaired the ceremony, urged the students to be role models in the communities to maintain their respect and uphold the good name of the university.
She asked them to create team work by learning and sharing experiences with each other to be equipped to become future development-oriented graduates.