The government promises its support to provide infrastructure and information and communication technology equipment to give a boost to quality distance education delivery in Ghana.
President John Dramani Mahama said this in an address read for him by Mr Kwame Darteh, Executive Secretary of the National Accreditation Board at the 17 Congregation of Distance Education of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) on Saturday.
President Mahama said the government would give meaning to its “Better Ghana Laptop Project” in such a way that distance learning students who did not have computers and internet access at home would at least have some access at school.
He said the government was happy about distance learning courses at the university ranging from diploma to post graduate levels.
President Mahama urged the university to manage access, quality and cost while ensuring affordability and learner success.
“It is equally necessary to ensure quality in distance education so that learners will get value for money and acquire the same knowledge, skills and abilities as their counterparts residing on campus”.
The President reminded the graduands that education and character building were life-long affairs adding;
“you must, therefore, never stop reading, studying and continually developing yourselves to enable you to take active part in the great work of nation building and spiritual upliftment.”
A total of 11,038 students made up of 4,803 males representing 43.52 percent and 6,233 males representing 56.48 percent graduated.
Of the total number, 1,466 were awarded with Diplomas, 9,570 awarded with Bachelor of Education Degrees,
129 graduate students comprising 77 males and 52 females were awarded with post-graduate degrees while 14 were awarded with Post-Graduate Diplomas. 115 had Masters Degree and one PHD degree.