Tap into opportunities to change course of Ghana’s history - Education Minister to graduates
The Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, has urged graduates from tertiary institutions to tap into the numerous opportunities in the country and work hard to change the course of Ghana's history.
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He said it was important for them to use such opportunities to develop a new Ghana to ensure that "this generation will be the generation that will transform the fortunes of this country".
"I believe the better days of Ghana are ahead of us and not behind us," he stated. Dr Adutwum was speaking at the 16th Congregation of the Sunyani Technical University (STU) in Sunyani last Saturday on the theme: "Technical and professional skills training — solution to high rate of youth unemployment in Ghana."
Graduates
A total of 1,863 graduates were awarded Bachelor of Technology (B-Tech), Higher National Diploma (HND) and Diploma Certificates in Engineering, TVET, Applied Science and Technology, Built Environment and Applied Arts, as well as Business and Management Studies disciplines.
Of the graduating class, 1,090, representing 58.5 per cent were males, while 773, representing 41.5 per cent were females.
Slash and burn politics
Dr Adutwum expressed concern about ‘the slash and burn politics’ which he explained was a situation where politicians painted their opponents to look so bad in the eyes of voters.
“This is done so that if even I don't do anything, I will still look good in the eyes of the voters. This is the bane of our country". Dr Adutwum asked politicians to tell the electorate what they would do if voted into power and not what someone had done wrong.
A section of the congregation
The Education Minister stated that Ghana had gone through terrible times and mentioned the COVID-19 pandemic to buttress his assertion. He said it was wrong to assert that everything was wrong since a lot had been achieved and called on Ghanaians wherever they were to work hard to change the course of the country.
Dr Adutwum asked the graduates to be focused and determined in the midst of challenges to create a better future for themselves, their families and the country.
Discounted fees
The Vice-Chancellor of STU, Professor Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah, said the university had begun the implementation of the 20 per cent discount on school fees for all female engineering students this academic year.
That, he said, was in line with the university’s strategic plan as the existing female engineering students population stood at only four per cent. "It is envisaged that this policy will improve the enrolment of female engineering students in the university and a response to diversity and inclusion in the field of engineering.
Advice
Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah reminded the graduates that they had been prepared to be self-reliant as employers and not as mere employees and as job creators and not just job seekers.
"Those of you who will not be lucky enough to readily enter existing job windows should not be discouraged, as that will not mean the end of the road for you". Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah urged them to apply the technical, professional and entrepreneurial skills they had acquired from STU to set up their own businesses and grow them into big corporations in the future.
He also asked them to have the courage to form partnerships with their friends and relatives, and with determination, they would succeed.
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