Winneba: Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, Minister for Education, has praised the leadership of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) for their steadfast commitment to teacher development, digital innovation, academic excellence, and enhancing graduate employability. "You continue to demonstrate leadership in teacher quality enhancement, inclusive education strategies, postgraduate training for the education sector, research into teaching and learning innovations, and mentoring the next generation of educators and administrators," he remarked.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Iddrisu made these commendations in a speech delivered on his behalf at the first session of the 30th congregation of UEW in Winneba. During the event, 8,288 students from various faculties, such as Health, Allied Sciences and Home Economics Education, School of Business, Faculty of Science Education, School of Education and Life-long Learning, and School of Communication and Media Studies, graduated from the university. Graduates from the Faculty of Ghanaian Languages Education, Social Sciences Education, Social Studies Education, Foreign Languages Education, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Creative Arts were also conferred with degrees, diplomas, and certificates.
The Minister highlighted that the University's efforts are pivotal in achieving the Ministry's broader objectives of improving learning outcomes, enhancing teacher professionalism, and expanding technical and vocational capacity nationwide. He assured continued support from the Ministry to help UEW advance its goals. Mr. Iddrisu emphasized that UEW's mission is to train competent professional educators to meet the nation's human resource needs for socio-economic transformation through quality teaching, learning, research, and leadership. He noted that UEW plays a crucial role in producing teachers and education professionals who form the foundation of every profession in Ghana.
Mr. Iddrisu urged the graduates to recognize that their graduation marks the beginning of a new responsibility to lead, teach, inspire, and transform. He encouraged them to teach with passion, lead with humility, innovate fearlessly, serve with integrity, and inspire others. "Your journey has only begun, and your nation needs your brilliance," he added.
Professor Stephen Jobson Mitchual, Vice Chancellor of UEW, expressed gratitude for the government's invaluable support to the university. Reflecting on national developments, he noted UEW's interest in President John Mahama's leadership style and his decisive actions to promote Ghana's socio-economic development, including efforts to fight illegal mining. The VC affirmed UEW's commitment to providing research-based insights and meaningful contributions to support national initiatives.
Professor Mitchual also commented on the recent directive by Mr. Iddrisu regarding the use of Ghanaian languages as the medium of instruction from kindergarten to primary three, describing it as an important national discussion. He stated that UEW, with its mandate to lead teacher education in Ghana, supports this policy and believes its implementation will benefit from professional expertise in language education, pedagogy, and curriculum development.
The Vice Chancellor reiterated UEW's dedication to transforming knowledge into a force for enlightenment and empowerment. He also acknowledged the generous support from partners such as World Medical Relief for their donation of medical equipment and the Ghana Health Service for their contribution of additional equipment worth GHS1 million. These contributions will enhance the university hospital's capacity to provide quality healthcare services.