Education Minister urges graduates to offer voluntary community service

The Minister of Education, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has urged graduates to consider offering voluntary services in various communities while waiting for job opportunities.

Considering the unemployment rate in the country, she encouraged graduates to teach in the basic schools and render voluntary services to orphanages and other organisations to help develop the society.

Addressing the 19th congregation of the Valley View University (VVU) in Accra last Sunday, the minister expressed the hope to see graduates form associations to organise voluntary services in the country.

A total of 482 students were presented with their degrees and diploma certificates. Of this number, 46 graduated with First Class Honours; 166, Second Class Upper; 245,  Second Class Lower and 25, Third Class.

Mr Samuel Gyamerah, who graduated from the Accounting Department, was adjudged the Overall Best Student.

Prof. Opoku Agyemang urged the graduates to remember the people who contributed to their successes, including their parents, guardians and the school.

In his report, the Vice Chancellor of the VVU, Prof. Daniel Buor, explained that the university had recorded a 7.47 per cent increment in enrolment as compared to last year.

He added that the National Accreditation Board had granted the university accreditation to run Bachelor of Science (BSc) Mathematics with Statistics and BSc Mathematics with Economics.

Prof. Buor encouraged the graduates to render worthy services to God and humanity as they had been equipped with relevant tools and skills to enter the world.

“Society is stinking, corruption is now a fine art at both high and low level places in society, the get- rich-quick syndrome is making men and women in responsible positions lose moral and spiritual bearings and get entangled in corruption, which is widespread in the socio-cultural spectra,” he said.

He, therefore, urged the graduates to take advantage of the moral and spiritual education imparted into them and be good ambassadors of the university by living with principles and values.

For his part, the General Vice President of the General Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist, Pastor Geoffrey Mbwana, urged the graduates to be initiators of jobs instead of relying on ready-made jobs.

“There are many voids, vacancies and unattended to situations out there, it does not take long to see the problem, but the problem is that we do not want to initiate and are looking for ready-made environments,”  he said.

He urged the graduates to serve others rather than serving themselves, saying that “therein lay the secret of true joy and happiness in life.”

He added that character was essential and urged the graduates to be hardworking committed, honest, respectful, humble and trust that it was only God who could make their goals and dreams achievable.

By Salomey Appiah