Winneba (C/R), Jan. 16, GNA - The University of Education, Winneba (UEW), on Saturday matriculated a total of 5,216 fresh students from the Southern Sector to undertake Diploma and Bachelor in Basic Education through Distance Learning.

A total of 5,688 students from the Northern Sector will also be matriculated next week at Kumasi for the same programme. Professor Akwasi Asabere-Ameyaw, Vice Chancellor of UEW, said at the matriculation ceremony that challenges of distance learning were enormous but that should rather prepare the students to be totally independent to face the challenges of life.

He said to assist the fresh students address some of the challenges the UEW had put in place a number of support services to enable them to study successfully at a distance.

Prof. Asabere-Ameyaw said the UEW had established Study Centres throughout the country to help reduce their travel time and expenses. He said: "To enable you to interact with your tutors, maintain and strengthen contact with them through e-mail and assess information wherever you are, we hope to hook all our centres to the internet".

He said the UEW had procured the Distance Education Information System (DEIS), online software, which would enable students to register, access study materials and examination results online.

Prof. Asabere-Ameyaw said the UEW had 18 Distance Learning Study Centres across the country and for convenience and effective monitoring those centres had been categorized as Northern and Southern Sector Centres. According to him, the Southern Sector centres are Accra, Assin Foso, Cape Coast, Dambai, Hohoe, Koforidua, Sogakope and Winneba. The Northern Sector centres comprise Atebubu, Bechem, Enchi, Kumasi Navrongo, Obuasi, Tarkwa, Tamale, Techiman and Wa.

He said in order for more Diploma and Certificate "A" teachers to upgrade their pedagogical skills and competencies, the UEW would establish new centres at Axim, Nkawkaw, Konongo-Odumasi, Agogo, Odumasi Krobo/Somanya, Sefwi Wiaso, Tema, Drobo, Tumu and Ashanti Mampong.