Over 8000 students of the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED), were conferred with PhD, Master’s, and Bachelor’s Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates at the University’s Third Congregation held on January 8 – 10, 2025.
The graduands, made up of 62% males and 38% females, included one (1) PhD, 378 Master’s Degrees, 6,469 Bachelor’s Degrees, and 1,428 Diploma and Certificate graduates. The graduation ceremony was organized in several sessions at the Kumasi and Asante Mampong Campuses of the University.
Among the dignitaries who graced the Congregation at the Kumasi and Asante Mampong Campuses were Baffour Asare Owusu Amankwatia V, Bantamahene, representing His Royal Majesty, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene; Daasebre Osei Bonsu II, Asante Mamponghene; the Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Prof. Francis Kofi Ewusie Nunoo.
Also present were the immediate past Chairman of the Governing Council of AAMUSTED, Mr. Paul Kwasi Agyemang and some other members of the past Governing Council; and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), Prof. Stephen Jobson Mitchual, and the Officer General Commanding, Central Command, Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), Brigadier General M. K. Opoku. There was representation also from the Ghana Police Service (GPS), Educational Institutions and state agencies.
The Vice-Chancellor of AAMUSTED, Prof. Frederick Kwaku Sarfo, in his report, extended special commendations to the Graduating Class for their hard work over several years that had ensured their successful graduation.
He indicated that “this Third Congregation is unique because it will go down in history as the ceremony where AAMUSTED graduated its first batch of students matriculated to pursue four-year degree programmes,” and also acknowledged the unwavering commitment, dedication, and collective sacrifices of all stakeholders to sustain AAMUSTED on a progressive trajectory.
Prof. Sarfo mentioned many achievements that the University has recorded since its establishment in August 2020. He said the University’s outstanding contributions, commitment to excellence, and impactful work, were the reasons it was recognised by the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) as the Best Public University for 2024, and the globally acclaimed ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE), ranked AAMUSTED the best in Ghana and the fourth best in Africa for Teaching Skills in its Universities Impact Ranking for 2023.
The Vice-Chancellor alluded to the university undertaking many interventions including, developing new academic programmes related to TVET, ATVET, STEM/STEAM, and Entrepreneurial Education, and improving the Students’ Internship Programme, Workplace Experience Learning, Supported Teaching in Schools, and Industrial Attachment, to make training of students more practical.
He was happy that the University had recorded consistent increases in its student numbers from 17,639 in the 2020/2021 academic year when AAMUSTED started as an autonomous university to over 30,000 during the 2023/2024 academic year, struck partnerships and collaborations with many local and international institutions and corporate bodies, and secured many grants for projects.
Touching on the challenges of the University, Prof. Sarfo indicated that inadequate student residential accommodation, lecture halls, and offices for staff, as examples of the challenges that must be addressed urgently. He was hopeful that the government, institutions, and public-spirited individuals would lend a hand to improve the situation in a timely fashion.
His Royal Majesty, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene highlighted his special interest and unwavering commitment to support efforts to bring progress to AAMUSTED for the good of Ghana and its citizens. In the speech read on his behalf by Baffour Owusu Amankwatia V, he assured the University of his support.
He also drew the attention of the graduates to the unemployment situation in the country and urged them not to perpetually pursue hardly available job openings, but, rally together and dare to venture into something to earn a living, considering the practical skills and entrepreneurship training they had received in AAMUSTED.
While commending the Management, Convocation, and staff of AAMUSTED for working hard to prepare the workforce of our nation, he appealed to the government to pay special attention to AAMUSTED by helping to improve its physical and human resources because of its unique and important mandate as TVET and Entrepreneurial Development Teacher Education University.
The Deputy Director-General of GTEC, Prof. Francis K. E. Nunoo, impressed on the graduates to become change agents to propel Ghana’s development forward. He also encouraged tertiary institutions to operate within policies and regulations of GTEC to ensure standardisation in the tertiary education space of Ghana.
