Sunyani (B/A), Nov. 24, GNA - Twenty nine (29) students who undertook four-year degree courses in various disciplines at the Catholic University College of Ghana (CUCG), Fiapre near Sunyani have graduated at a ceremony to mark the second congregation of the University.

The students received First, Second and Third Class Honours in theoretical and practical training in subject areas such as BSc. Computer Science, BSc. Economics and Business and BA in Religious Studies.

In his welcoming address, Most Reverend Joseph Osei-Bonsu, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Catholic University College of Ghana, Fiapre, said; "the Catholic church from the beginning of its existence saw its evangelizing mission as having not only a spiritual but a material dimension, thus, enabling the Church to put premium on education.

"It is this vision of education that inspired the Catholic Church in Ghana many years ago to establish schools at the primary and secondary levels in the country. It was this same vision that inspired the Ghana Catholic Bishops in 1997 to conceive the idea of establishing a Catholic University in the country as a logical step to make education accessible to all," he stated.

Most Reverend Joseph Osei-Bonsu, appealed to the graduands to justify the investment made on their education and live a morally upright lives by not allowing themselves to be driven by the inordinate desire for money and give in to corrupt practices. He said today's society is characterized by immorality, indiscipline, bribery and corruption, misappropriation of public funds, killing, rape and sexual promiscuity and warned that their involvement in any of these would not, in any way benefit society. "Against this background it's incomprehensible and mind-boggling that the new education reforms should leave out of the syllabus Moral and Religious Education, and consign it to be taught as a mere "concept" in the teaching of English and other subjects. The teaching of Religious and Moral Education as a subject in its own right was to promote proper moral formation of the human person as advocated by Catholic Bishops in a Conference on Education in Kumasi recently", he added. Professor James Hawkins Ephraim, Vice-Chancellor of CUCG, thanked the leaderships of Reverend Father Dr. Micheal Schultiess and Professor Ebow Mensah, as President and former Acting President respectively for initially heading the administration of the University as their good works has culminated in laying a solid foundation upon which the CUCG now stands.

The Vice-Chancellor noted that the introduction of two new faculties, Public Health and Allied Sciences and Education have seen an increase in the population of students from 50 students in 2003 to 902 students in 2007.

"Reports from institutions and establishments where our students do industrial attachments and establishments where our first graduates have found their way indicate that our products are measuring up to the aspirations of the founding fathers", he stated.

He however, said the University expects to make a partial movement to the permanent site with facilities such as a resource centre (made up of computer and language laboratories, a library and classroom block) in the 2008/2009 academic year.

"The contractors have assured us that come April 2008, they will be able to handover the buildings to the University", he reiterated. Professor Ephraim reiterated; "the resolve of the University to instill discipline in its students in order to maintain high academic standards and to develop and produce men and women who are adequately equipped with the appropriate capacities to lead useful and fulfilling lives to the service of God and humanity."

The Vice-Chancellor said the University intends to introduce the following undergraduate programmes as soon as accreditation from the National Accreditation Board is obtained: Diploma Programme in Nursing, Certificate, Diploma and Degree programmes in Agriculture, Degree Programme in Environmental Science, Degree Programme in Actuarial Science and Programme in Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR).

He said tuition fees is the main sources of funding for the University but instead of making profit the University was rather making losses because the institution has the lowest fees in the league of private universities in Ghana and therefore received financial support from various dioceses in Ghana as well as local and international benefactors.

He expressed the University's appreciation to the benefactors and encouraged all stakeholders to offer assistance in that direction to support the institution to achieve its objective of providing quality education.

Mr. Francis Poku, National Security Adviser, who spoke on behalf of President Kufuor said this was the time Ghana needed them most and as such, it was imperative for the country to have them work in Ghana since their skills, discipline and high moral values were needed in the country's service sector.

President Kufuor commended the Catholic Bishops for their insightful care of human development in partnering with the government to deliver quality education to the people and was high on government's policy agenda and budgeting.

He reiterated government's commitment to eliminate or reduce massive illiteracy which is demonstrated by the introduction of some government's intervention.

The President said it is government's objective to mobilize the skills of the youth towards creativity and the understanding of the country's culture and to ensure that tertiary institutions churn out graduates who are employable on the job market.

He promised to help new graduates find work and urged businesses to offer practical placements of graduates into various work places as volunteers, adding "this scheme would enable businesses to impart on-the-job skills to otherwise unemployed graduates.

The government, the President, said would make financial contributions to both volunteers and businesses through the National Youth Employment Programme in that direction. He appealed to businesses and universities to cooperate in all areas of research and development of agro-based processing to produce more jobs and challenge the importation of finished products. He also expressed the government's willingness to support the university's plans and efforts. 24 Nov. 07