Dambai College of Education marked a significant milestone as she welcomed her Golden Jubilee batch of freshers during the 20th Matriculation Ceremony on Friday, 5th April, 2024. The ceremony, held at the Forecourt of College Administration Block, saw the official induction of new students into the College Community.
The event, which was a celebration of academic achievement and commitment to excellence, was attended by esteemed guests including Prof. Patrick K. Ofori-Danson, Chairman of the College Council and the entire Council Members, Dr Amadu Musah Abudu, the Vice Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Development Studies (UDS) and His Worship, Alhassan Dramani (the Magistrate of Dambai Magistrate Court and the Lawyer on the College Entity Tender Committee). Others included Hon. Bernard Aborkugya Mensah (the then Krachi East Municipal Chief Executive) and Hon. Michael Yaw Gyato (immediate past Member of Parliament and the current Parliamentary Candidate for Krachi East on the ticket of the ruling New Patriotic Party).
Addressing the gathering, Prof. Patrick K. Ofori-Danson, Chairman of the College Council, commended the dedication of the College’s staff and students, emphasizing the institution’s reputation for academic excellence. Highlighting the significance of the occasion, Prof. Ofori-Danson congratulated the Matriculants for the privilege of gaining admission out of the numerous equally qualified applicants. He noted that the matriculation coincided with the College’s 50th year and called on the Matriculants to take advantage of the opportunity to study hard and justify their admission.
In her Matriculation Speech, the Principal of the College, Dr. (Mrs.) Benedicta Awusi Atiku congratulated all freshers on making it through the admission process. According to her, over 1,900 qualified applicants picked DACE as their first choice College; out of this number, only 300 of them were offered admission into the College. They are made up of 173 males constituting 58% and 127 females which is 42% of the number of freshers admitted for the 2023/204 Academic Year. Out of this number, 71 of them are offering B.Ed. Early Grade comprising 28 males and 43 females; 89 B.Ed. Primary Education students made up of 48 males and 41 females; and 140 B.Ed. JHS Education students consisting of 97 males and 43 females respectively.
She indicated that the matriculation was a formal ceremony to officially admit new students into the College to pursue various Bachelor of Education Degree programmes. According to the Principal, matriculation removes the barrier of informality and offers the freshers official college community full-fledged membership identity with all the full rights and privileges as Junior Members. The Principal added that the newly admitted students are a lucky crop of students of the College because they are admitted in the year the College has received approval to run new programmes – Mathematics & ICT, Agriculture & Home Economics and Arts. She encouraged the fresh students to be dedicated to their academic work and focus on meritorious success because DACE is an innovative College of Choice with a bragging right resonating from the excellent quality of service provided by the College.
Dr. (Mrs.) Benedicta Awusi Atiku also indicated that DACE has created a very conducive atmosphere for students. The relationship among Staff Members, Students as well as stakeholders of the College is very cordial. The good School-Community relationship for instance, recently resulted in many favours the College has received including the drilling of a new borehole by the Hon. Bernard Mensah Aborkugya, the MCE of Krachi East, and his cash donation during the 50th Anniversary Launch and cash donations of other stakeholders such as Hon Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Education Minister; Hon. Michael Yaw Gyato; Hon. Nelson Djaba Executive Directors of T-TEL, CTVET, TeachAid and others.
Again, the Principal pointed out to the Matriculants that they had chosen the best profession by accepting admission into a teacher training institution. “This is because teaching is the noblest infectious profession that sets the tone and perpetually changes the world around us through the right thinking, the right knowledge, acquisition of the right skills and formation of the right moral values and attitudes for effective professional practice to ensure growth and development of the world at large,” she explained. She entreated the fresh students to ask for direction on anything they do not know or understand. She further asked them to make good use of the College resources and avoid waste. Finally, the Principal expressed her gratitude to the gathering for their attention.
A total of 300 new students, representing various Bachelor of Education Degree programmes, took the Matriculation Oath administered by Dr. Amadu Musah Abudu, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Education, University for Development Studies, after they were presented to the Assembly by the Vice Principal of the College, Dr. Frank Awuah. The official matriculation pronouncement was made by the Principal, Dr. (Mrs.) Benedicta Awusi Atiku to formally recognize the Freshers as Members of the College. This was followed by the signing of the Matriculation Register by the Matriculants.
Speaking on behalf of the Matriculants, Miss Precious Akamah expressed gratitude for the opportunity and pledged to uphold the values of the College as enshrined in the Matriculation Oath. She indicated that education is not about just acquiring knowledge but also achieving excellence. She therefore seized the opportunity to seek the support of their Mentors and Tutors by appealing to them to help her and her mates achieve excellence through excellent teaching and coaching. Precious Akamah ended by assuring the gathering that she and her colleagues would be united and inspired by their ability to achieve excellence, God’s grace.
The Ceremony also featured words of encouragement and pieces of advice from distinguished guests, including Hon. Bernard Aborkugya Mensah, Nana Kugbeadzor-Bakateyi II, His Worship, Alhassan Dramani and Dr. Amadu Musah Abudu who took turns to emphasize the importance of hard work and good conduct in achieving success.
The Vice Dean of the Faculty of Education, UDS, Dr. Amadu Musah Abudu also congratulated the fresh students and advised them to take instructions from their Tutors. He encouraged them to step out of their comfort zones and face challenges boldly by challenging the situation. Citing the Former President of the Republic of South Africa, H.E. Nelson Mandela, Dr. Amadu Musah Abudu challenged the freshers to go and change the world because, “Education is the most powerful tool in changing the world.” He again advised the newly matriculated students to eschew examination malpractices and write what they know during examinations. He finally encouraged faculty members to take innovative research initiatives to enrich their academic experiences.
In a similar vein, the Oti Regional Director of Education (Ghana Education Service, Nana Kugbeadzor-Bakateyi II (the Queen Mother of Likpe-Abrani Gudeve) and also Dambai College Council Member, entreated the fresh students to study hard. “It takes hard work and commitment to be successful in whatever you do,” she said. Using her personal life experience as an example, she made it clear that when she enrolled as an undergraduate student at the University of Ghana some years back, she was privileged to deliver a speech on behalf of the Matriculants. A few years down the lane, by dint of hard work, she delivered the valedictorian speech on behalf of her graduating class as the overall best student for the year, 2004. She added that they should not follow students with bad character. Rather, they should identify students who are serious and associate with them because they will soon become whoever they associate themselves with. According to her, she is currently the mother of pre-tertiary education in Oti Region and will be happy to receive them as her teachers after their four years of study.
The Magistrate of Dambai Magistrate Court, His Worship, Alhassan Dramani cautioned the fresh students to eschew crime and be of good behaviour because any of them that would get involved in any criminal act, would not be spared by the Laws of Ghana. He therefore took few minutes to explain the nitty-gritties of the Law to the gathering.
To conclude proceedings of the Ceremony, Prof. Patrick K. Ofori-Danson urged the freshers to aspire to greatness and embrace the opportunities for growth and development offered by the College. He encouraged them to go beyond the natural and seek to do the supernatural. With a vibrant recession led by the College Choir, the 20th Matriculation Ceremony came to a successful end, marking the beginning of a new academic journey for Mother DACE and her students.
SOURCE: DACE Editorial Board
