By Naa Shormei Odonkor, GNA
Kumasi, Dec 01, GNA – The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has appealed to the government to grant financial clearance to enable the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to recruit additional lecturers to reduce the wide lecturer-students’ ratio at the university.
He pointed out that the recruitment of more lecturers would ease the burden of the existing lecturers and help improve the quality of teaching and learning as well as academic performance of students.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu, who is also the chancellor of KNUST, was addressing participants at the 59th congregation of post-graduate students at the university in Kumasi.
The ceremony conferred Doctor of Philosophy certificates to 221 post-graduates and honorary degrees on six persons.
The KNUST lecturer/student ratio currently stands at 1:67, and this has resulted in a higher burden on the few lecturers available in the school.
According to the Asantehene, the situation threatened the quality of education and mentorship provided to learners to meet the demands of the rapidly changing world.
He however, applauded the government for redeeming the GHS 46 million commitment made to complete the construction of the KNUST Teaching Hospital to provide quality healthcare services in the region and beyond.
Also, he appreciated the government for releasing USD38 million through the GETFund for the furnishing of the hospital with the needed healthcare equipment and materials.
The completion of the hospital would also serve as a training ground for medical students of the university.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu, issued a stern warning to persons or groups who encroached or attempted to encroach on the KNUST lands.
He described the land as a sacred legacy handed down to him for the university’s interest to benefit future generations and pledged to protect the land by taking decisive actions against any culprit caught encroaching the land.
The Asantehene, pointed out that, no family head or chief had authority to sell the school land, hence, parties contesting for some parts of the land in court were fighting a lost battle.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II advised lawyers to investigate into any land ligation case concerning the KNUST school land before taking up the job to contest in court.
He encouraged the graduates to be guided by their innovative ideas, actions anchored by integrity and their compassion shape their leadership skills as they stepped into the wider world.
“The true measure of education lies not in personal gain alone, but in the light, you bring into the lives of others,” he said.
GNA
Edited by Kwabia Owusu-Mensah/Kenneth Odeng Adade