IPS takes on 808 students for degree course

Accra, Oct 28, GNA - The Institute of Professional Studies (IPS) in Accra on Friday held matriculation ceremony for 808 students to pursue various bachelor degree courses.

The students made up of 522 males and 286 females form the first batch to pursue the institute's degree programmes in administration, marketing and accountancy, which would run along side its professional courses. Rev Father Jim Martey, Director of the Institute, said the IPS had introduced the degree programmes mainly because most practising firms now considered a first degree as the basic qualification for accounting trainees.

He said unlike what happened in the past, the job market had become very competitive with firms now looking for people with both professional and sound academic qualifications for managerial positions. Rev Father Martey said one now needed to have a broad knowledge in various disciplines before embarking on a professional course.

"We are, therefore, by the introduction of bachelor degrees providing the necessary inputs that would enhance students chances of completing the professional courses in record time while they study with us." He said some measures the school had taken to enhance its facilities were the setting up of a research as well as a publication desk and the collaboration of IPS with other universities on the African Continent for research, teaching and learning purposes.

Rev Martey said the IPS was also setting up an Alumni Fund to support scholarships for disadvantaged students, teaching and learning material for the library and new state of the art teaching facilities. He said the fund would also support sports and other extra curriculum activities.

Touching on infrastructure development, he said, the building of an academic wing complex was on course adding that eight classrooms and two lecture halls had been built so far.

He said the IPS expected to have four more classrooms, two computer laboratories, lecture theatres, a library, a cafeteria, an auditorium and 40 offices for academic staff.

He said the institute's permanent Administrative Block would be built soon, adding that the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) was financing the projects.

Rev Father Martey appealed to past students of the school to assist it in every way they could in order to speed up its progress. In a speech read for, Ms Elizabeth Ohene, Minister of State in charge of Tertiary Education, she said she was happy that the degree programme had finally started, adding that since the government took over IPS in 1997, questions had been raised as to why the institute could not award its own professional programmes.

Ms Ohene noted that the IPS was the only public institution that combined Professional Business Training with degree programme. She urged the students to go through laid down procedures when they needed to address their grievances saying "as students being trained to take up the mantle for the future, your conduct should at all times be above reproach".

Professor Cliff Tagoe, Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana-Legon, chaired the function. 28 Oct. 05