Students of the University for Development Studies (UDS) would at the end of May start their third trimester field practical programme in some districts of the Brong Ahafo Region.

The 2,200 first year students would be distributed into ten groups and sent to Kintampo North and South, Nkoransa North and South and the Techiman Municipality.

The students are expected to live, learn and appreciate the attitude of the communities for an average of six weeks.

Professor Haruna Yakubu, the Vice Chancellor of the UDS, addressing the orientation programme on Monday at Nyankpala, called on the District, Municipal and the Metropolitan Assemblies to take advantage of the programme to bring development to their communities.

He said a lot had been done in some communities over the years and expressed the hope that the Assemblies would use information gathered by students for their development plans.

Prof Yakubu advised the students to go into the communities with open minds and be prepared to learn from each other and from the community members stressing that the programme offers them a great deal of experiences.

Dr Bawa Demuyakor, Director of the Third Trimester Field Practical Programme (TTPP) of the UDS, said the university had over the years studied most of the communities in the three Northern Regions and was starting a second phase to review what had been done before and assess the situation.

He said the TTPP had made the UDS unique among the Universities in the country inculcating in the students development oriented ideas saying “most of our products are currently working in NGOs and District Assemblies serving as planners and administrators”.**