The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has donated one hundred new laptops to the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS), to support teaching and learning.
The Vice President made the gesture while launching the 60th Anniversary Celebration of the School.
According to him, the donation is a redemption of an earlier promise he made to the UGBS.
“The last time I was here, I think that was in January this year, in this very auditorium, the Vice Chancellor mentioned the imminent launch of a bold ‘One student, One laptop’ initiative. And in the context of the Business School, there was also an ICT need that the Dean was just mentioning.
I was very very inspired by this digitalisation drive that was taking place at the University, under the University of Ghana Business School, that on that day, I promised 100 hundred laptops to the University of Ghana Business School.
Today, Vice Chancellor, I am pleased to make good on that promise and I have here, 100 laptops for the University of Ghana Business School”, he said amidst applause.
Bawumia encouraged other alumni of the School to support their alma mater, to enable it realise its objectives.
The Vice President further congratulated the School for its strides over the years, despite the difficulties that confront it, “due to the resource inadequacy, coupled with the high expectations of stakeholders”.
He added that, “the educational terrain is also fast becoming turbulent, and I believe there is the need for the premier business school in Ghana, to show leadership in this endeavour of providing management education.
I genuinely believe that the University of Ghana Business School has the wherewithal to develop the necessary flair for setting the pace”.
Dr. Bawumia also underscored the need for the School to embrace technology, in its activities.
“Even though the COVID-19 pandemic was devastating, it has provided us all the opportunity to leverage technology in order to build on our competitive advantage. You have the opportunity to expose your students to artificial intelligence and help them explore big data, and the internet of things to help position them as global citizens.
With technology, the Faculty should find different ways to actively engage students, experiential learning, gain-based learning and problem-based learning to help impart soft skills such as autonomy, creativity, leadership and effective collaboration.
These are in no doubt linked to the 21st century skills of critical thinking and problem-solving, collaboration, agility and adaptability, initiative, entrepreneurialism, effective oral and written communication, assessing and analyzing information and curiosity and imagination. These must become integral in your curriculum revisions going forward”, he admonished.
The 60th Anniversary launch of the University of Ghana Business School, was organised at the R.S. Amegashie Auditorium of University of Ghana, on Tuesday, May 11, 2022.
The event was attended by some prominent members of the University community, persons from industry and academia, and a host of other patrons who graced the occasion in their numbers.
The special guest was the President of the Republic, Nana Akufo-Addo; who was represented by the Vice President, Dr Bawumia.
Speaking at the event, the Minister for Education, Dr Adutwum, also indicated that based on the history of the institution and its humble beginnings, he is happy about the current feat of the University of Ghana Business School, despite its challenges.
While commending the School on its successes, the sector minister also stressed the need for the UGBS to consider innovate policies to meet the needs of modern times.
Dr Adutwum, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Bosomtwe constituency said, “These are exciting times. Exciting times because the pandemic has given us the opportunity to innovate. Now it’s time for our schools to be teaching lean management and all the things that make organisations work in the middle of crisis.
So innovative strategies in the approach that you bring to bare and the education of the people who come to you, will go a long way in helping redefine the storyline and future of our nation”.
The theme for the launch of the Anniversary was, “The Future of Business Education in Ghana: Reflecting on the 60-Year Experience of the University of Ghana Business School”.
The Chairperson for the event was the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo. She was however represented by the Pro Vice Chancellor from the Office of Research, Innovation and Development (ORID), Professor Felix Asante.
In attendance was also the Provost for the College of Humanities, Professor Daniel Ofori. Other dignitaries also included a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Akilagpa Sawyerr and the Dean of the University of Ghana Business School, Professor Justice Nyigmah Bawole.