The graduands, BMFI’s second batch, received Bachelor of Business Administration (Commerce), Bachelor of Science in Water Management and Sanitation and Bachelor in Education, which had been certified by the University of Cape Coast (UCC), its mentor institution.

In a speech, the founder and president of BMFI, Dr John Asare-Essel, said the school was incorporated in 2004 to run non-degree courses and that the first batch of first-degree students, numbering 174, passed out in 2017.

“After the first graduation, we had accreditation problems which delayed things till today,” adding that along the way, the National Accreditation Board (NAB), now known as Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), banned it from admitting fresh degree students even though it had 5years Institutional accreditation.

The founder and president of BMFI said his institute was poised at helping to improve tertiary education in the country, expressing optimism that the school would work hard to be able to run Master’s and PhD programmes in the near future.

Dr Jinapor underlined the challenges faced by private universities such as competition with the well-established public ones; and staying accredited through affiliations which comes with its own cost, among other issues, and commended BMFI for withstanding the challenges to pursue academic excellence.

He urged private universities and colleges to move towards specialisation, because “this would help equip students with the requisite skills needed for the job market”.

Skills training

The Deputy Director-General said it was important for universities to provide students with the needed innovative, entrepreneurial and skills training for them to help contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.

Dr Jinapor indicated that even though under the Education Bodies Regulatory Law (Act 1023), private universities and colleges should show demonstrable evidence of progression within four years to be able to charter, those falling short of the requirement but showing appreciable achievement would be given additional two years to make the mark.

The Deputy Minister of Education Mrs Gifty Twum Ampofo, who spoke as the Special Guest of Honour, stressed the government’s support for the education sector in various ways, including relevant policies.

She said the government was well aware of the tremendous role played by the private universities and colleges in augmenting efforts of the public ones in the delivery of high standard education and training.

The Deputy Minister indicated that “the government’s GovTechEnablers Index (GTEI) currently stood at 18.84 per cent and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is putting in place a mechanism to have it improved it to 40 per cent by 2030.”

She urged private universities to make digitisation part of their learning systems as the world was now being controlled by technology.

The Chair of the Governing Council of BMFI, Professor Asonaba Kofi Addison, congratulated the graduates on their efforts and asked them to exhibit a high level of professionalism in the world of work for others to opt to attend BMFI.

Mr Paul Da Costa Bortey, an Engineer with the Ghana Water Company, was adjudged the overall best student.

The graduation was attended by a number of dignitaries from academia and industry, including Mr Justice Agyenim-Boateng, the Registrar for Affiliates, UCC.