Regional Maritime University teaching with obsolete equipment

A Senior Lecturer at the Regional Maritime University (RMU) has described the institution’s teaching and learning equipment as obsolete, affecting effective cadet training.

Captain Catherine Haizel, Senior Lecturer at the Nautical Science Department of the RMU, said her department was the worst affected as most of its equipment were spoilt and non-functioning.

Captian Haizel revealed this on Monday during the celebration of the International Day of the Seafarer which was observed on the theme: “Seafarers Wellbeing – Emphasis on the Mental Health”.

She stated that her outfit had been receiving feedback that the Cadets from Ghana working on vessels could not use some of the modern equipment even though they were doing well in other aspects.

She said the government and other stakeholders such as the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) must resource the University as a matter of urgency to enable graduates to match other nationals.

The Senior Lecturer also bemoaned the massive encroachment on the University’s lands which she said needed immediate intervention as there was no land for expansion.

“Encroachment on lands earmarked by Ghana’s first President Kwame Nkrumah for the University’s expansion is worrying, RMU is growing and introducing more courses, therefore, the need to expand and build more labs,” she indicated.

Captain Haizel said RMU lacked enough staff quarters to accommodate lecturers and that some of the lecturers commuted from far places including Kasoa in the Central Region,

She called on the government to offer the University the needed resources to properly train students as according to her, cadets and seafarers’ remittances contributed hugely to the nation’s finances.

She also advised that government could enter into a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with vessel owners to employ seafarers from Ghana whenever they do business at the country’s Ports.

The Senior Lecturer also suggested that Ghana could also follow the lead of the Philippines to train and export graduates of the University to ensure available job opportunities for them.