Presby University admits 857 students for 2012/2013 academic year
The Presbyterian University College at Abetifi Kwahu has admitted 857 students for the 2012/2013 academic year bringing the total population of the university to 2,300.
The students are to offer Business Administration, Information Communication Technology (ICT), Community and Rural Development, Nursing, Business Economics, Mathematics, Agribusiness, Environmental and Natural Resources Management and Medical Health Assistance.
Speaking at the ceremony Professor Sraku-Lartey, said the list of programmes mentioned was contrary to the assertion that private universities offered only the social sciences and humanities.
He said the Presbyterian University College was promoting the balanced pursuit of the humanities, the sciences and the development, application and management of technology.
Prof Sraku-Lartey said the excellent results of Senior High Schools this year which made entry into tertiary institutions very difficult compelled them to turn away many qualified students, especially at the Asante Akyem campus for lack of accommodation.
He said next year with two batches of SHS students coming out the problem could be worse.
He therefore appealed to give them equal opportunity to benefit from the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND) to expand their infrastructure.
Prof Sraku-Lartey said for any meaningful development to take place, tertiary enrolment in Ghana should be at least 25 percent of the population and for that to be possible not more than 250, 000 students should be enrolled every year into tertiary institutions.
He expressed worry that even though Ghana has about 50 tertiary institutions, all put together could not admit more than 70, 000 students, which represent 30 percent of tertiary graduates, needed every year.
Prof Sraku-Lartey said the rate of numerical progression from the kindergarten through primary, junior high and senior high to the tertiary was highly inadequate.
“It is therefore very important to put measures in place to review and plan education right from the kindergarten taking into account funding, human resource and physical resources” he said.
Prof Sraku-Lartey said lack of adequate facilitates made it difficult to provide enough practical content to students at tertiary institutions and even where facilities exist, industries and companies are unwilling to engage the students for internship.
Rev Bawua Bonsafo, Kwahu Presbytery Chairperson of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, said since the establishment of the university, the church had supported it in various ways.
He said the Presbyterian Church of Ghana over the years had supported the government to improve the human resource base of the country by the provision of agriculture and medical services and also participating in education delivery system of the country.
Rev Bonsafo pledged that the Church would continue to offer all the needed assistance to the university to make it a centre of excellence.
The Presbyterian University College was established in 2003 at Abetifi and has campuses at Akropong Akuapem, Agogo and Tema with Kumasi campus to be opened next year.
Source: GNA