Navrongo: UDS To Benefit From President’s Endowment Fund Initiative

27-10-09 Navrongo: UDS To Benefit From President’s Endowment Fund Initiative



Narration: The Acting Vice –Chancellor of the University of Development Studies UDS, Navrongo Campus, Professor Sagary K. Nokoe has disclosed that the university will soon benefit from seed money from the President’s Endowment Fund Initiative, adding that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning are seriously working towards that direction and will soon release part of these funds to improve infrastructure and other developmental projects at the university. Professor Nokoe was speaking at the 17th Matriculation Ceremony of the University at Navrongo in the Kassena-Nankana District of the Upper East Region. Here is a report from Isaac Asare.

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Report
The University of Development Studies, Navrongo Campus started in 1993 on borrowed premises in Tamale, in 1994, the University again inherited already–existing premises at Nyankpala Campus, and in 1995, yet another borrowed facility was inherited at the Navrongo Campus. As a result of the limited accommodation, inadequate lecture halls and Poor Academic Performance, only 1,056 new students were admitted for the 2009/2010 academic year to pursue diploma and degree programmes. The Vice-Chancellor of the University who also administered the matriculation oath to the matriculants, said the university since its establishment is faced with the challenge of providing adequate infrastructure for academic purposes., lauded government support for sourcing funds from the GETFund through its annual budgetary allocation to help the school, which according to him, has been useful over the years. The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Mark Woyongo commended the students of the University for not resorting to violent demonstrations over the past years and advised the matriculants to take their studies seriously and eschew acts that would mar the enviable record of the University. He hinted that government in collaboration with other stakeholders, are putting measures in place to designed programmes to provide unemployed graduates with entrepreneurial skills and employment opportunities. Mr. Woyongo also expressed governments commitment to reviewing the GETFund Act to decentralized the operations of the GETFund Board and broaden the involvement of local institutions, including teachers organizations and tertiary students representations in prioritizing the fund usage adding that the fund would cover critical areas such as research , academic and residential facilities, scholarships and bursary awards for needy but brilliant students in order to raise the standard of education in consonance with the current global challenges.

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