The Bolgatanga Technical University in the Upper East Region has officially started post-graduate programmes with the admission of the first post-graduate students for the 2023/2024 academic year. According to the board and management of the school, 50 students were given admission to pursue Master's in various fields but a total of 36 students comprising 27 males and nine females had reported and registered. They are to pursue Master's in Procurement, Logistics and Supply Chain Management and Master's in Ecological Agriculture programmes. Professor Samuel Erasmus Alnaa, the Vice Chancellor of the University, who made this disclosure at the 22nd matriculation of the school, indicated it was a milestone for a greater journey, to consolidate the vision of the University to run cutting-edge programmes to contribute to sustainable national development. 'We will progressively introduce post-graduate programmes in all the departments as and when such departments are ready. In furtherance of this, we will soon s tart preparing the grounds to introduce Doctor of Philosophy programmes starting with the School of Agriculture,' he said. The Vice-Chancellor noted that the vision of management was to ensure that the University was the most preferred tertiary institution nationally and globally for 'one-stop academic programmes and progression'. 'This will also afford our various faculties the opportunities to have more hands to conduct research works, innovations and inventions for their career development, so I urge all and sundry to take advantage of this,' he said. The Vice-Chancellor explained that because of the strategies put in place, the University was developing at a fast pace, however, it had been constrained with lecture halls and the situation was impeding smooth academic work. He said although management had been working within their capacity to improvise for students to have lectures comfortably, the situation needed urgent attention from the government. 'We also urge the government to quickly move in to construct lecture halls for the University, this request has been on the drawing board since 2017 and this great important project is yet to see the light of day, it is very unfortunate that this project is still not given any financial allocation to have it constructed' he added. Professor Alnaa further appealed to the government to grant the University financial clearance to recruit qualified lecturers, adding that the current number of staff was not enough and that put pressure on the school to use its small internally generated funds to recruit part-time lecturers which was unsustainable. While urging the students to take advantage of the abundance of learning resources in the University to build themselves to become solution-oriented graduates when they complete, he warned staff and students against any misconduct that would put the name of the University into disrepute and truncate their academic career. The University admitted a total of 1,371 students representing a 13 per cent increase over the la st academic year's admission, however, 1005 comprising 580 males and 425 females had reported representing a 19 per cent increase over the last year's number. Source: Ghana News Agency Northern Rangelands Trust's Ujuzi Manyattani Initiative has helped students among them youth and women to access training in various skills, that will help them start income generating activities. While presiding over graduation of 140 students in Isiolo, the Principal Secretary (PS), State Department for Technical, Vocational Education and Training, Dr. Esther Thaara Muoria, said Ujuzi Manyattani, an initiative by Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT), funded by USAID and ICAP, will uplift the living standard in Arid and Semi-arid (ASAL) counties, through its training programs. 'It is imminent to acknowledge that this model of training, will have a great impact in conferring skills to many youths and women in remote areas of this country, to positively impact on livelihoods of arid people,' PS said A total of 140 students from Leparua, Cherab, and Garbatula community conservancies, graduated in the various courses, including hairdressing and beauty therapy, motorcycle repair, electrical and solar installation, catering, tailoring, dressmaking, and mobile repair. The Northern Rangelands Trust, presented them with trading tools, to enable them start up some business. Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) is also partnering with Kiirua Technical Training Institution and Laikipia North Technical and Vocational College, in training the various people identified by the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Muoria rallied the parents in Isiolo County to encourage their young ones to enroll in TVET institutions to gain skills. Dr. Muoria further noted that Ujuzi Manyattani has made an impeccable contribution in ASAL counties and called on well-wishers, county governments, and development partners to support the initiative. 'Ujuzi Manyattani has had massive contributions in ASAL areas, and it is on this note that I wish to call upon people of goodwill, development partners, various County Governments, and the private sector to support this noble initiative. By joining forces, we can pool our resources, expertise, and networks to make this program a resounding success,' said the PS. Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) projects to train 5,000 youths and women from ASAL counties in various trade areas, in the next two years. Source: Kenya News Agency
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