By Emelia B. Addae
Accra, July 24, GNA – Mr Francis Z. Taabia, a candidate contesting for Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana (GRASAG) president, University of Ghana chapter, has promised to institute vast reforms to improve graduate students’ welfare and bolster their academics.
Responding to several concerns raised by graduate students of Ghana’s prestigious university and acknowledging the urgent need for change in tune with emerging trends, he vowed to tackle the issues head-on and effect positive reforms for a renewed sense of hope in the association.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, he said he and his team were determined to address current problems plaguing the graduate student body, such as delays in thesis submission, delays in issuing students’ identification cards, myths surrounding bursary applications, and registration, among others, to instil a renewed sense of optimism.
Mr Taabia, a third-year PhD candidate in Nutrition, is partnering with Mr Daniel Kweku Frimpong as his vice president.
Both have taken the initiative to pick nomination forms and presented a nine-point policy agenda that focuses on the academic and welfare demands of graduate students at the university.
“Throughout our academic journey, we have witnessed the challenges faced by postgraduate students, and understand the importance of providing a supportive and inclusive environment for their growth and success,” the duo said in a joint statement.
“Our policies demonstrate our commitment to being a strong voice for graduate students, representing your interests and concerns at all levels of the university administration when elected as President and Vice President, respectively.”
In his interview with the GNA, Mr Taabia said that with his wealth of experience and a strong desire to fight for the rights and well-being of students, he indicated he was prepared to work towards improving graduate students’ academic performance.
“We will support the graduate school to improve the output of graduate students through all-time submission and effective student-integrated thesis tracking,” he said, adding, “GRASAG will support the graduate school to conduct mock evaluations of all delayed theses.”
In addition, he stated that there would be a collaboration with the Graduate School to conduct mock evaluations of all delayed theses and that he would advocate for the use of all bank accounts for bursary registration, emphasising, “We will set up help desks to assist all students with the registration process.”
Mr Taabia also plans to work closely with authorities to boost the number of graduate student accommodations and create a database for the production and distribution of all outstanding student ID cards.
He added that platforms for regular meetings and forums would be established to recognise and fix critical problems challenging GRASAG members rapidly.
“We will partner with network providers to secure internet data SIM cards for graduate students to cushion them in their research work and online lectures,” he added.
“We will support GS to improve the output of graduate students through all-time submission and effective student-integrated thesis tracking. Also, GRASAG will support GS in conducting mock evaluations of all delayed theses.”
Mr Frimpong has also taken to social media (Twitter), emphasising the team’s key policy for reforms, which included advocating for all bank accounts to be used for the bursary registration and setting up help desks to assist all students in the registration process, produce a recovery database for the production and distribution of all pending ID cards as well as advocate for increased bed capacity for graduate students across the available hostels while we wait for the new GRASAG hostel facility.
He added, “We will partner with network providers to secure internet data sim cards for graduate students to cushion them in their research work and online lectures.
“To explore exchange programme opportunities for graduate students and to link graduate students to scholarship opportunities outside the country.”
GNA