The University of Education, Winneba has graduated its first deaf and blind student at the school’s 24th congregation ceremony held at Winneba in the Central Region.
The student, Sylvia Abena Peprah, pursued a two-year diploma programme in community-based rehabilitation and disability studies.
“We are the first university in this country to graduate a deaf-blind student who we enrolled in the 2017 to 2018 academic year to pursue a two year diploma programme in community based rehabilitation and disability studies,” the Vice Chancellor said.
Speaking to Citi News at the three-day graduation ceremony, Vice-Chancellor of the University Rev. Father Professor Anthony Afful Broni indicated that the loss of one’s sight and hearing must not deter them from attaining university education.
He added that the University will continue to support the student by paying for her accommodation and tuition fee as she pursues her post-diploma bachelor of education programme in the next academic year.
According to him, the University will continue to admit and train many more young adults with different disabilities in pursuance of one of the University’s core values.
“We are keen on promoting gender equity and establishing mechanisms to drive the continuous development of the educational sector in Ghana,” Afful Broni added.
Professor Afful Broni also reiterated the university’s commitment in recent educational reforms in Ghana and beyond adding that over 80% of academic staff have been heavily involved playing very active roles in the development of the new curriculum for schools and transforming teacher education and learning to ensure that colleges of Education can produce better-trained teachers.
“Our staff involvement together with other stakeholders has enabled our government through the Ministry of Education to address issues in the education sector such as improving the curriculum, the management of colleges of Education and schools, expanding teacher training methods, promoting gender equity and establishing mechanisms to drive the continuous development of the education sector,” Afful Broni said.
The Vice-Chancellor was optimistic that the university’s involvement in recent educational reforms will help shape the phase of teacher training education in Ghana.