The 54th Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences Founders Week celebrations successfully took place as scheduled from the 18th of November to the 22nd of November, 2013 on the theme Education for National Development.
It started with all exuberance with Monday 18th having the induction of twelve (12) newly inducted fellows comprising ten (10) Resident Fellows and two (2) Honorary Fellows of which eight (8)were present. They were Rev Canon Prof Emeritus John Samuel Pobee; Prof Dr Dr Daniel Buor; prof Wisdom Tettey; Prof Yaw Serfor Armah; Prof Henry Nii Adjiri Wellington; Prof Emmanuel Owusu-Bennoah; Prof Benjamin Jabez Botwe Nyarko; Dr Rose Mamaa Entsua-Mensah.
The two Honorary Fellows Prof Volker ter Meulen and Prof Lorna Casselton and Busumuru Kofi Annan and Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson were absent since they were all out of the country as at the date of the induction.
The President of the Academy Prof Francis Kofi Ampanyin Allotey assisted by the Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and Vice Presidents for Arts and Sciences took the newly elected fellows through the declaration and swearing in. they were then decorated with the Academy’s broche.
The auditorium was full to capacity as other Fellows, family members, general public, schools and the media thronged to experience and hail the nominees.
The day continued with the Presidential address by the President of the Academy Professor F. K. A. Allotey on the topic “Education in the Age of Rapid Technological Advancement”.
Day two had a symposium which was chaired by Professor Akilagpa Sawyerr on Basic Education in a Changing World with delivery on topics such as “An Assessment of the content and Quality of Basic Education in Ghana”; “Rethinking the role of Stakeholders in Ghana’s Basic Education” by Doctors Leslie Casely-Hayford, Associates for Change, Accra and Christine Amoako-Nuamah, former Hon Minister of Environment, Science and Technology.
Wednesday November, 20th was no exception when another symposium on the topic Secondary technical Education and skills Training: Bridging the Middle Level Gaps chaired by Professor Aba Bentil Andam was expecting a delivery from three speakers. The various topics which were to be divulged were Reviewing Secondary, Technical Education and Skills Training in Ghana”; “Skills diversification to meet Current and Emerging labour Market Opportunities” and “Sowing the Seeds of Entrepreneurship in Secondary and Technical Education”.
Two of the speakers Doctor George Afeti, Executive Secretary, National Inspectorate Board, Ministry of Education, Accra; Professor G.K.S. Aflakpui, FGA, Rector, Wa Polytechnic, Upper West Region (who was indisposed had his write up delivered on his behalf) delivered their addresses on the 1st and 2nd topics respectfully. The 3rd speaker Doctor Michael Agyekum Addo, Chief Executive, Kama group of Companies who was to take the third delivery was absent due to circumstances beyond his control.
All the same we had a real exposition on the theme and members present put in their views through questions and contributions to make it a lively occasion.
The symposium: the third and final in the series of the celebration chaired by Professor S.K.A. Danso, FGA, presented all three speakers battling round the bigger picture of “Optimising Tertiary Education to meet Current and Emerging Opportunities”. It talked other sub topics: the first a delivery by Prof Helen Lauer, Department of Philosophy and Classics, University of Ghana on “Higher Education beyond the Labour Market”. The command over the subject exposed listeners to a very good content.
The second speaker Dr Patrick Awuah, President, Ashesi University College, Brekuso, Eastern Region, performed no less as he tried to battle the problems identified in the mix of public and private tertiary institutions. He was all out on his delivery on the topic “Widening Access to Tertiary Education: the mix of Public and Private Participation”.
Finally the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Legon, Professor Ernest Aryeetey, FGA addressed the topic “Addressing the funding Challenges in Ghana’s Tertiary Education Sector”. His experience as a Vice Chancellor propelled a good delivery where he could cite very practical examples in problems and solutions to the topic.
The five day celebration was crowned on the last day with the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Lecture on the Topic “Science, Technology and Innovation for National Development”. The delivery was made by Professor Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere, FGA, Former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Legon. The day had Professor F.K.A. Allotey, FGA, and President of the Academy in the chair.
All speeches delivered during the 54th Founders Week Celebrations are being compiled for its publication soon.
