A 12-year-old, Master Viemens Bamfo, has gained admission to the University of Ghana, Legon, to pursue a diploma course in Public Administration.
The youngest so
far, Master Bamfo was among the 2,944 freshmen from six learning centres across the country who were matriculated by the university in Accra last
Saturday to pursue undergraduate degree and
diploma programmes at its Distance Education
School for the 2019/2020 academic year.
Out of the number, 2,699 students
were from learning centres in Accra; 66 from Takoradi ; 60 from Tema ,49, 40 and 30 students from
Koforidua, Cape Coast and Ho-Tsito learning centres respectively.
In an address read on behalf of the Vice Chancellor of the UG, a Provost of the College of Humanities, Professor Samuel Agyei-Mensah said, the use of technology was pivotal to the studies of a distance student and urged them to take up the challenge.
He encouraged students to strive for an active learning experience, taking advantage of the electronic resources available to them to further research into topics, coming up with questions and deeper understanding of their studies.
According to Professor Agyei-Mensah, training given to students if taken seriously would equip them find solutions to the increasing complex challenges confronting the world.
Highlighting some challenges of the institution, he indicated that, the school had limited space for tutorials, particularly in the Accra Learning Centre and was working tirelessly to provide additional classroom space for students.
“We envisage the new lecture building being constructed behind the library block will be completed by the beginning of the next semester,” Prof. Agyei-Mensah said.
In addition, he explained that, majority of academic work would be conducted online as distance students, with lecturers interacting with them.
This, Prof. Agyei-Mensah said, would provide a flexible and innovative platform for online learning.
“Centres are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities such as computer laboratories, video conference centres, smart classrooms and centre-wide Wi-Fi networks,” he noted.
Prof. Agyei-Mensah entreated students to take care of facilities provided and use them only for the purpose for which they have been supplied saying “we hope to be able to provide the Tema, Cape Coast and Bolgatanga learning centres with similar facilities in the near future.”
Mrs Mercy Haizel Ashia, Registrar of UG, on her part said, the ceremony was for students in Accra, Tema, Cape Coast, Takoradi, Koforidua and Tsito.
She indicated that, similar ceremonies had taken place at the Kumasi Learning Centre for students in Kumasi and Sunyani and at the Tamale Centre for students in Wa, Bolgatanga and Tamale.
Mrs Ashia said, according to article 31 of the institution’s Act, 2010, Act 806, any student who failed to sign the matriculation register may be prevented from graduating by the school.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the matriculation
ceremony, Master Bamfo said he was schooled at home by his father after his
lower primary education in Akyem-Oda, Eastern Region where he sat and passed
the West Africa Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) as a private
candidate.
His elder brother, Edwin Bamfo, graduated at the age of 20
years from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) as an
environmental scientist.
Master Bamfo said his aim is to continue his education to
a doctorate level and become the President of Ghana at the age of 40 years.
BY ABEDUWAA LUCY APPIAH
