Tertiary students have been challenged to come out with sustainable business plans that can attract funding.

They have also been tasked to formulate business ideas that satisfy the legal regimes of local and international legal systems.

The Director of Tertiary Education at the Ministry of Education, Prof. Francis K. E. Nunoo, who made the call, also urged the students to work as a team to fashion a comprehensive approach to business, which is a critical skill for leadership.

TBSC

Speaking at the launch of the much-anticipated Tertiary Business Schools Challenge (TBSC) quiz competition at the Executive Theatre of TV3 in Accra yesterday, Prof. Nunoo also advised the students to think creatively and venture into entrepreneurship schemes that can stand the test of time.

“The TBSC must be expanded to cover all schools; the competition is a testament to the exceptional talent that exists within the academic space and the Ministry of Education is fully behind it,” he stated.

This year’s quiz, dubbed “TBSC Version 6.0”, will entail four zones, namely South West Zone, Northern Zone, Middle Zone and South East Zone.

The competition, the brainchild of the Graphic Communications Group Ltd. (GCGL), is supported by the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana (ICAG) and will for the first time have a software and mentorship training for students, a business career fair and a business pitch for students.

It will also involve a round of 16 stage, with over 36 tertiary institutions battling for the coveted prize in 15 subjects in business, accounting and social subjects, including audit and assurance, business and corporate law, financial accounting and business management.

Format

Touching on the format of the competition, the quizmaster, Alhassan Trawule, revealed that the first series of the preliminary rounds will take place in the South West Zone from August 19 to 21, featuring Koforidua Technical University (KTU) against Ndoum School of Business and Technology (NSBT), before defending champions, University of Education, Winneba (UEW), clashes with All Nations University (AU).

“It will be followed with a fierce competition in the Northern Zone which will see University for Development Studies (UDS), who were the 2020 winners, against Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD UBIDS),” he stated.

Another contest in the Northern Zone will feature Tamale Technical University against Dr Hilla Limann Technical University (DHLTU).

In the Middle Zone, Catholic University will battle Kumasi Technical University, while Sunyani Technical University meets Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED).

Another interesting encounter will be between Christ Apostolic University College and University of Energy and Natural Resources (UNENR). In the South East Zone which has the largest number of schools, Larweh University will compete with Academic City University. Central University will face off with African University College of Communication (AUCC) and WestEnd University College will clash with Heritage University.

In other thrilling duels, Ghana Communications Technology University will battle Blue Crest, while Accra Technical University faces off with Data Link University. Kings University College will compete against Methodist University, and Valley View will meet Pentecost University. Wisconsin International will challenge GIMPA for supremacy, while UPSA Accra is expected to take on KNUTSFORD University College.

Value, commitment and dedication

In his address, the Managing Director of GCGL, Ato Afful, said the contest would prepare business students for the world of work and provide them with the skills to apply practical knowledge to what they had learnt, while adhering to the ethical values of work and the environment.

“Students must cultivate the mindset of the business owner and yearn to own their own businesses even when they are privileged to secure work,” he stated.

He further challenged the students to be committed, dedicated to their work, care for it and be relentless in the face of challenges and adversities. “Passion and desire are not a substitute for discipline and hard work, it is about sacrifice,” he stated.

Sustainability, ethics vital for success

For her part, the Director of Legal Services at ICAG, Ms Joyce Adu, conscientised the students to imbibe sustainability and ethics in their field of work.

She noted that for a successful business to thrive in modern times and stand the test of time, it must value its ethics and ensure its sustainability with constant value addition. She wished the students the best of luck and charged them to give of their best.

Competition ideal for progression

An official of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), Paulina Adu Yeboah, expressed her satisfaction with the competition and how it had positively affected the progress of tertiary education in the country.

She expressed the hope that the competition would expand and grow to produce the future leaders Ghana needed.