UPSA graduates maiden batch of law students

The University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) Wednesday graduated its maiden batch of 130 Bachelor of Laws students.

Of the number, 27 obtained Second Class Upper, 45 Second Class Lower, 42 Third Class and 16 had Pass.

The graduation forms part of the first session of the 12th Congratulation of the UPSA. In addition to the UPSA Law Faculty, the Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Studies also graduated a total of 434, out of which 148 are undergraduates and 286 diploma students.

With regards to the undergraduates at the Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Studies, five obtained First Class, 59 Second Class Upper, 49 Second Class Lower, 27 Third Class and five Pass.

Seven of the diploma students obtained Distinction, while 174 obtained Credit and 105 had pass.

In all, within a four-day period, the University is expected to graduate a total of 3,520 students comprising 670 postgraduates, 1,994 undergraduates and 856 diplomas.

Professor Abednego Feehi Okoe Amartey, Vice-Chancellor, UPSA, said the 12th Congregation was being held at an unprecedented time, where the COVID-19 pandemic had affected people's normal way of life.

"I take special pride and delight in the students graduating this year. They are graduands so special to me, who I can call "my own," he said.

“These are the students who started with me when I was sworn into office as the eighth executive head and second Vice-Chancellor of this great University to begin my four-year term of office.”

Concerning teaching and learning, the Vice-Chancellor recalled that as part of measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Sunday, March 15, issued a directive that all educational institutions in Ghana should be closed until further notice.

Prof Amartey said as a result, Management resolved that in order not to disrupt the second semester of the 2019/2020 academic year, all teaching and learning activities should be rolled on-line for the rest of the semester.

He said the UPSA Learning Management System (UPSA LMS) was, therefore, deployed on Wednesday, March 18.

He said to enable faculty, staff and students unlimited access to the LMS; Management also made arrangements with Vodafone Ghana to offer free data access to the UPSA LMS platform.

Prof Amartey said the make-up lessons were held on-line for the next four weeks, followed by supplementary or mop-up and take-home assignments, which ended on July 31.

The Vice-Chancellor urged the graduating students to join the UPSA Alumni Association and give back to their alma mater.

"Be our goodwill ambassadors at the market place and market our University as 'the place to belong'. Through the Alumni Association, you can contribute to transforming UPSA into a home-grown Harvard, Oxford or Yale."

Dr Kofi Ohene-Konadu, the Chairman of the UPSA Governing Council, congratulated Prof. Amartey on his reapportionment by the Council for a second term, which begins on January 1, 2021.

He urged the Vice-Chancellor to be strong in the execution of his mandate in his second term.

Mrs Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, the Director of Public Prosecution at the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General, who was the guest speaker, told the graduating students that the journey to the top in their chosen careers required perseverance, honesty and sacrifices.