KNUST strengthens e-Learning systems

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Institute of Distance Learning (IDL) has projected to conduct most of its teaching activities via the e-Learning system from next year.

Consequently, the University has been provided with a sound-proof conferencing centre fitted with ultra-modern facilities by the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) to facilitate the process.

Professor William Otoo Ellis, Vice-Chancellor of the University, addressing a special congregation for graduates of the IDL in Kumasi, said the IDL currently runs 17 undergraduate programmes from the various Departments in addition to 13 postgraduate programmes.

Established in 2007 the IDL, which boasts of a student population of about 10,000, seeks to provide greater access to demand-driven education and training offered by the University to the doorsteps of students throughout and beyond the shores of Ghana.

The congregation saw 678 students of the Commonwealth Executive Masters in Business Administration (CEMBA) and Commonwealth Executive Masters in Public Administration programmes (CEMPA) graduating.

Professor Ellis said the CEMBA programme attracts a lot more participants than all the programmes offered by the IDL.

He said in view of the increase in student numbers, it had become more imperative for the University to expand its facilities, saying plans were far advanced to complete the first phase of the Accra City complex at Kwabenya.

The six-storey classrooms and offices, he said, was about 80 per cent complete and expected to be handed over in January, 2014.

In addition, work on the KNUST Northern sector campus in Tamale was progressing as expected for the benefit of the growing student population.

Professor Ellis tasked the graduates to make maximum use of the skills acquired for the benefit of the society.

“As graduates, you are expected to lead our society in generating the needed resources and knowledge to address our everyday challenges”, he said.

Source: GNA