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Universities in the country have been urged to decolonise and use the present to strategise and integrate African theory of knowledge and traditions in their curricula and knowledge production.
An educationist and former Vice-Chancellor of the Methodist University Ghana, Professor Jophus Anamuah-Mensah, who made the call, explained that this would make universities more responsive to the country’s developmental needs.
He said as the conscience of the nation, universities needed to free students from the colonial mindset and allow them to freely explore the realities of the nation with the view to innovate.
Prof. Anamuah-Mensah said this at the 21st congregation of the Methodist University in Accra, with 701 students graduating from the university.
A total of 143 passed out as postgraduates, 418 undergraduate, 40 diploma and 20 certificate students.
For the undergraduates, 35 obtained First Class honours, 162 Second Class Upper, 229 with Second Class Lower,58, with Third Class and 15 pass.
Thirteen awards were given to 12 deserving students for their excellent performances,
“Universities should serve as spaces for learning, unlearning, relearning, unthinking and rethinking, the oppressive and dominant thoughts, philosophies and patterns of our interactions with colonial forces over the past centuries,” the retired educationist said.
He consequently urged universities to integrate recent developments such as artificial intelligence in the indigenous knowledge bases in order to ensure their relevance and help to solve societal challenges.
Prof. Anamuah-Mensah further urged Ghanaians to be well versed in African tradition and tap into the indigenous systems to realise the possibilities of how they could move the country forward.
The Chairman of the Methodist University Ghana Council, Justice Professor Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, urged graduands not to let education be confined to the walls of a classroom or the pages of a textbook but to be a lifelong journey of continuous learning, discovery, self-discovery and growth.
Congratulating the students, she charged them to “be worthy ambassadors of the university, and uphold its good name, and use the values and principles that the school has instilled in you.
Let integrity be your guiding light, and let your actions be a reflection of your character".
The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Philip Ebow Bondzi-Simpson, said since the university obtained its Charter in August 2022, it had always worked towards positioning itself as a top-notch world class university.
He said the university had introduced a professional engagement series for professionals to interact with students in order for the students to experience a blend of theory and practice, saying,” this is to complement the attachment and internship mainstreamed into every programme”.
The Valedictorian, Lydia Oparebea Agyei, on behalf of the graduands, thanked their families for the unwavering support and sacrifices throughout their academic journey.
She thanked faculty and staff of school for their guidance, mentorship and dedication towards their academic journey.
