By Godfred Aaneamenga Polkuu
Navrongo (U/E), June 23, GNA – Professor Albert Luguterah, the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the Clement Kubindiwo Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS), says the university was poised to become a nucleus of scientific discovery.
He said with the right investment and strategic backing, “CKT-UTAS is poised to become a nucleus of scientific discovery, innovation, and transformative education in Ghana and beyond”.
Speaking at the fifth congregation of the university in Navrongo in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality, the VC said: “The potential is enormous; what we need is the partnership and commitment to fully unlock it.”
The VC thanked staff for their dedication and professionalism, which culminated in the graduation of 790 students comprising 198 graduate students and 592 undergraduate students in various programmes with conferred degrees.
Professor Luguterah said though CKT-UTAS had enormous potential to be a beacon of science and technology education in Ghana, there was the need for meaningful and sustained support.
That, he said, was essential to make the required impact, especially given the capital-intensive nature of science education.
He called on stakeholders, especially government, to urgently support the institution’s efforts to address its pressing needs to continue to deliver on its mandate to provide higher education, undertake research, and disseminate knowledge related to development through the integration of Technology and Applied Sciences.
The VC said under his leadership, management was committed to providing conducive learning environments that emphasized holistic student experiences and staff development.
“We will adhere to the best standards and practices set by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to offer top-notch teaching, learning, and research.
Professor Luguterah said: “We will also continue to invest in vibrant, efficient, and results-oriented administrative procedures that meet the standards of tertiary education service delivery,”
He said in the past five years, the university had significantly expanded its academic programmes from 15 programmes and three faculties to 81 programmes across 10 schools, from undergraduate to PhD levels.
He said all programmes due for re-accreditation were submitted to the GTEC for consideration, and appreciated the efforts of the university’s Deans, Heads of Departments, and everyone involved in the process.
The VC, however, expressed concern about the institution’s staff strength, which he said remained a challenge, “With a current staff strength of 343, we appeal to the government, through the Minister, to urgently consider our need for additional staff.
“This will reduce the teaching load, improve community service, research, and the overall well-being of our staff. Indeed over 40 casual staff are employed and paid from our meagre Internally Generated Fund to augment the dire need for staffing,” he said.
Professor Luguterah disclosed that the current student population of the university stood at 4,019, with 3,202 undergraduate and 607 postgraduate students, and expressed the hope that the university would admit more students, especially at the graduate level, to enhance its postgraduate training and research.
He told the students that graduation marked the beginning of a new chapter in their lives, saying, “The real world will present challenges and opportunities, and your success will depend on how you navigate them.
“Your degree is not just a piece of paper but a testament to your hard work, critical thinking, innovation and resilience. Be guided by honesty, hard work, humility, and continuous learning. Go out and make a positive impact on the world,” he admonished.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Benjamin Mensah