By Yussif Ibrahim, GNA
Kumasi, Oct. 06, GNA – Professor Abigail Padi Gura, Dean of the Faculty of Business Studies, Takoradi Technical University, has challenged graduates of Jackson University College (JUC) to move beyond acquiring certificates and use their knowledge, competence and character to transform society.
She said education should not be viewed merely as a means of securing personal advancement but as a powerful instrument for addressing societal challenges, creating opportunities and contributing to national development.
Prof Gura was speaking as the Guest Speaker at the 15th Congregation of JUC on the theme: “From Learning to Leading: Transforming Society,” in Kumasi.
She urged the graduates to reflect critically on how they would use the knowledge and skills acquired rather than focus solely on the qualifications they had obtained.
“The world does not need graduates who merely possess certificates; it needs graduates who possess competence, character, courage, communication and compassion,” she said.
Prof Gura said while certificates could open doors of opportunity, an individual’s character would determine what they did after entering those doors.
She, therefore, encouraged the graduates to remain ambitious but ethical, competent but humble, and successful but compassionate, stressing the importance of lifelong learning and service to society.
“Excellence sells, but never forget service and never stop learning,” she said.
Prof Gura challenged the graduates to become creators of opportunities and solutions rather than wait for opportunities or merely complain about problems confronting society.
She said the transition from the classroom to society came with a responsibility to apply knowledge to improve the lives of others.
Mrs Theodosia W. Jackson, Co-Founder of JUC, said a total of 842 students graduated at the congregation, comprising 139 in Early Grade Education, 679 in Upper Primary Education and 24 in French Specialism.
She said the latest graduation brought the total number of Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) graduates produced by JUC since its inception to 3,132, out of a total of 20,560 professionals trained by the institution.
Mrs Jackson said the theme of the congregation underscored the need for graduates to understand that education was not simply about acquiring knowledge but also about developing the capacity, character and courage to use that knowledge to make a positive impact on society.
She urged the graduates to recognise that their influence would extend beyond the classroom because every learner they taught represented a family, a community and potentially a future leader.
“The quality of your work will therefore contribute directly to the development of our society,” she said.
Mrs Jackson encouraged the graduates to lead with competence, compassion and humility, stressing that true leadership should be measured by the lives touched, problems solved and positive contributions made to communities.
She also urged them to remain adaptable in the face of rapid technological advancement and changing social expectations, embrace technology, think critically, collaborate with others and remain committed to lifelong learning.
GNA
Edited by Kwabia Owusu-Mensah/Lydia Kukua Asamoah
Reporter: Yussif Ibrahim
06 October 2026