Category: Education

Melchizedek Adio Baafawiise, a 13-year-old undergraduate student at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has taken a major step towards his aviation dreams, thanks to a generous invitation from businessman and aviation enthusiast, Ibrahim Mahama.

The young scholar, who is pursuing a BSc in Physics, was given the rare opportunity to fly aboard a private jet, experiencing first-hand what it feels like to be in the cockpit of an aircraft.

Melchizedek, who has been passionate about aviation from a young age, caught the attention of Ibrahim Mahama due to his exceptional academic performance.

The 13-year-old, who scored 5 A1s and 3 Bs in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), enrolled at KNUST to explore his academic interests before deciding whether to revisit his dream of becoming a pilot.

Impressed by his achievements, Mahama decided to support his journey by offering him a rare aviation experience.

During the flight, Mahama shared insights into the aviation industry and the process of becoming a pilot. Melchizedek was also invited into the cockpit, where he gained firsthand knowledge of aircraft operations from the pilots.

Beyond this once-in-a-lifetime experience, Mahama went a step further by pledging to cover all of Melchizedek’s tuition and academic expenses at KNUST.

This generous gesture ensures that the young scholar will have the financial support needed to reach his full potential.

Melchizedek’s parents have expressed their profound gratitude to Ibrahim Mahama for his kindness and willingness to support their son’s education and aspirations.

Melchizedek made headlines when he became one of the youngest students ever to enrol at KNUST.

His decision to study Physics was motivated by a desire to understand the fundamentals of science before potentially pursuing his dream of becoming a pilot.

With his talent, hard work, and the support of Ibrahim Mahama, Melchizedek’s aviation dreams may soon take flight in a way that inspires many young Ghanaians to pursue their ambitions.

The University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) at Somanya in the Yilo Krobo Municipality in the Eastern Region has held its fifth commencement lecture as part of its yearly activities to begin the academic year.

The event, which marks a significant milestone in the university’s academic journey, providing a platform for intellectual discourse, reflection and inspiration, was on the theme: “Forest for the future: Strategies for addressing climate change, biodiversity loss and sustainable development in Ghana”.      

The lecture brought together distinguished scholars, industry experts, policy makers and thought leaders who shared groundbreaking ideas and perspectives on issues relevant to environmental sustainability, sustainable development and global challenges.

It also highlighted UESD’s unwavering dedication to academic excellence, research and innovation, which reaffirmed the university’s mission as a centre of knowledge in environmental and sustainable development studies.

Dignitaries and students after the lecture

5th Commencement lecture focuses on climate change

Ezekiel E. Sottie Education Feb – 04 – 2025 , 09:572 minutes read

The University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) at Somanya in the Yilo Krobo Municipality in the Eastern Region has held its fifth commencement lecture as part of its yearly activities to begin the academic year.

The event, which marks a significant milestone in the university’s academic journey, providing a platform for intellectual discourse, reflection and inspiration, was on the theme: “Forest for the future: Strategies for addressing climate change, biodiversity loss and sustainable development in Ghana”.      

The lecture brought together distinguished scholars, industry experts, policy makers and thought leaders who shared groundbreaking ideas and perspectives on issues relevant to environmental sustainability, sustainable development and global challenges.

It also highlighted UESD’s unwavering dedication to academic excellence, research and innovation, which reaffirmed the university’s mission as a centre of knowledge in environmental and sustainable development studies.

Environmental challenges

The Vice-Chancellor of UESD, Prof. Eric Nyarko Sampson, who doubled as the Chairman for the occasion, in his opening and closing remarks, said the theme for this year’s event underscored the critical role forests played in tackling contemporary environmental challenges such as deforestation, climate change, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation.

He explained that the event highlighted the importance of sustainable forest management and policy innovation in Ghana’s quest for environmental resilience and socio-economic growth. 

Threat of SDGs

The guest speaker for the programme, Dr Seth Appiah-Kubi of A Rocha Ghana, who extensively touched on various aspects of the theme, said the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals was threatened by an array of escalating and mutually reinforcing environmental risks.

He said current projected changes in climate, biodiversity loss and pollution made achieving the SDGs even more challenging.

The Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, who hails from the Yilo Krobo Traditional Area, lauded the UESD for the good work being done in the university since its establishment.

She said as a daughter of the land, she would do what was humanly possible as a regional minister to ensure the uncompleted infrastructure in the university were completed to promote effective teaching and learning.    

There were solidarity messages from GTEC, Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), among others. 

As part of the programme, a Rocha Ghana Award Scholarship Scheme was launched. 

The Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Edward Wiafe Debrah, pledged that UESD would work hard towards the scholarship scheme in the interest of the university’s students. 

EDULearn  Services Limited, a training and consulting organisation, has launched the first cohort of its Youth Entrepreneurship Academy, a dynamic initiative designed to address the pressing challenge of youth unemployment in the country. 

The one-week programme sought to develop skilled manpower through educational and vocational programmes that align with the needs of emerging industries.

The Youth Entrepreneurship Academy is specifically designed for post-national service personnel and unemployed youth, to equip them with the skills necessary to succeed in the rapidly evolving economy.

The initiative is meant to inspire young people by teaching them the fundamental principles of business, promoting an entrepreneurial mindset, and exposing them to the processes that make businesses succeed.

The academy is also focused on encouraging young people to explore creative and problem-solving techniques to adapt to the modern economic environment.

By offering hands-on training in various aspects of entrepreneurship, the programme aims to prepare participants to become successful business owners who can contribute meaningfully to the economy.

Essential

At the opening ceremony, the Executive Chairman of EDULearn, Prof. Ato Essuman, emphasised the essential role entrepreneurship could play in economic and social development.

He said small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) represented about 94 per cent of the country’s industrial sector and were responsible for creating most of the informal jobs, especially in a nation where 80 per cent of employment was within the sector.

He pointed out that with about 60 per cent of the population under the age of 35, youth unemployment had become a national security issue that demanded urgent attention. 

Wealth

“Government does not create wealth; entrepreneurs do,” he said, calling for a change in mindset towards entrepreneurship as a practical conduit to job creation.

Prof. Essuman reiterated that the growth of businesses depended not only on knowledge but also on the support structures available to entrepreneurs, including access to capital and a stable business environment.

The Guest Speaker, who is the Founder and Head of Executive Coaching at Temple Advisory, Robert Bennin, emphasised that one’s career did not have to follow the same path as his/her degree and admonished participants who were mainly fresh graduates, to be open to exploring opportunities outside their field of study.  

He indicated that growth often came from stepping outside one’s comfort zone and embracing change.

“The skills you gained in school like problem-solving, communication, and critical thinking can be applied to a wide range of roles, even if they aren’t directly related to your degree,” he said.

Participants expressed optimism about their prospects, with many eager to embark on entrepreneurial ventures that can help address the unemployment crisis in the country.

The second cohort started yesterday, February 2, 2025, and runs through February 7, 2025.