Opinions of Monday, 17 August 2020

Columnist: Asare Kingsley

Who heads USTED

The USTED was established to President Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo Addo's industralisation vision The USTED was established to President Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo Addo's industralisation vision

The University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (USTED) Kumasi was established to drive president Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo Addo's vision of Ghana's industrialisation through Technical and Vocational education.

The established University which was a branch under the University of Education, Winneba, has recently been given the power to run as a fully autonomous university in Kumasi, Ghana. The changed of the name from the University of Education to the University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (USTED) became possible after the president's vision of driving industrialisation through Technical and Vocational education in Ghana.

It is further to be acknowledged that (USTED) will gain its international recognition and will be able to stand to be one of the best universities in the world, hence making the president's vision a reality.

The agenda of Nana Addo Dankwah needs to be materialised by a leader who is competent to work, someone who has both local and international affairs to move the university forward towards achieving the purpose.

The recent problems at the University of Education Winneba has pololised all the campuses with factions. Nevertheless, at (USTED), there have been huge concerns on the appointment of an accounting professor who has been appointed as Dean of Faculty of Technology in the institution which has created a mess on the campus. The problem has been raining serious strife, noting the emphasis that the accounting professor does not have the qualities to head the Faculty of Technology of the school, hence must be changed.

This has called for a neutral person outside the University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (USTED) to head the school. It is believed the appointment of a neutral head outside the institution will help to create a quality environment as well as unifying all the staff under one umbrella without discrimination to move the university as a centre of excellence in Technical and Vocational training.

It will also call for key positions to come from outside to inject new focus in the university.

In various recommendations, it will be appropriate for the president of Ghana, Minister of Education and the Minister of State- Tertiary to consider appointing somebody outside this university to ensure absolute inclusiveness of all the colleges affiliated to (USTED).