VC Of UENR Angry With Students

THE VICE Chancellor (VC) of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), Sunyani in the Brong-Ahafo Region, Professor Harrison Dapaah, was last Saturday provoked by the late arrival of over 1,800 fresh students to a matriculation ceremony – meant to officially accept them into the university.

The programme, which was to officially start at 9:15 am after a procession of senior members of the university onto the dais, started late because most of the students were not seated as the VC as well as other senior members of the university sat impatiently waiting for them (students).

When it was time for him to address the students, Professor Dapaah did not mince words when he said, “I am not happy with your behaviour this morning at all. You were expected to be seated by 8am before convocation but we came here waiting for you. We are not training you in only book knowledge, but in critical skills that will help you make good citizens and impact every sector of the economy. Matriculation is a short ceremony which lasts mostly 45 minutes, but this is what you have done. Next time any student behaves like this or does not participate in the ceremony officially meant to initiate you into the university, must consider him or herself sacked,” he warned

He further warned them of three things that if any student was caught doing on campus would lead to their summary dismissal. These, he mentioned as cheating during examinations or continuous assessment, stealing and physical/sexual assault. “Please listen very carefully. You are to study and meditate on all the contents in the handbook to thoroughly acquaint yourselves with all the rules and regulations of the university that will guide your stay on campus. For the sake of emphasis, I would like all of you to remember these: there are three crimes or offences which when committed in this university and you are found culpable, will result in your outright dismissal with possible prosecution by the police; and that is cheating during examinations or continuous assessment, stealing and physical and sexual assault. If you forget anything I have told you this morning, please do not forget these three, because nobody will be able to speak for or plead on your behalf,” he emphasized.

According to him, out of a total of 4,887 students' population, 1,532 are undergraduates consisting 1,037 males – representing 68% – and 495 females – also representing 32 percent.

Prof Dapaah noted that despite the university's intention to admit many students that were qualified, the institution is limited by infrastructure and therefore, appealed to the GETFund authorities to heed Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia's call on them to put the university on its priority list to help complete the construction of some lecture halls.