Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso, the Vice-Chancellor has urged staff to prepare themselves to effectively handle the ever-increasing student population. He made this call in his opening address at the 8th Summer School of the 糖心Vlog and Technology (KNUST) organised for all KNUST staff and selected staff of affiliated institutions. The 8th Summer School was on the theme: 鈥淚mproving Quality of Higher Education through Effective Measurement and Evaluation鈥.
Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso, noted that the current student population of 45,000 is expected to increase in two years鈥 time by 35% to 40% with the implementation of the Free Senior High School Policy. The goal of this year鈥檚 Summer School therefore is to position the University and its staff to effectively manage the growing numbers and to remain as one of the best institutions in the world, he added. He further encouraged staff to adopt good customer service skills to serve and keep the University鈥檚 clients in view of current competition in the business landscape.
Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso called on leaders to embrace change and to effect change. He continued that the worst mistakes leaders can make is to run away from change because they entertain fear. 鈥淚f you allow fear to drive you away from your objective, it is worse off鈥 he added.
The Head of the Quality Assurance and Planning Unit, Professor Christian Agyare, said since the inception of the Summer School in 2011, the number of participants keep increasing every year just as the number of students keep increasing as envisioned in the KNUST Corporate Strategic (Plan 2K25). For the University to meet its core mandate of teaching and assessment, there is a need to review students鈥 assessment methods and improve quality of higher education through effective measurement and evaluation systems.
Dr. Agyare indicated that the uniqueness of this year鈥檚 School is the diversity of subthemes to meet the needs of various categories of staff especially senior members, teaching and non- teaching, senior and junior staff. He further explained that the training was tailored to meet the various professions and staff within the various units of the University based on recommendations from staff.
This year鈥檚 participants had experienced facilitators from Ghana, South Africa and Nigeria on all the thematic areas. Some of the thematic areas for Senior Members in this year鈥檚 School are Assessment in Higher Education, E-Assessment and Computer Based Assessment, Blooms Taxonomy, Test, Design and Development of Affective Skills, Design and Assessment of Project Work, Moderating Examination Papers, Performance Management Systems and Conflict.
The Senior Staff on the other hand would be enlightened on Effective Measurement and Evaluation, The Role of Guidance and Counselling in Basic Schools, Office Practice and Management and Customer Service and Team Work. Other topics are Tax Education in Respect off PAYE, Withholding Tax and Value Added Tax, University Housing: Prospects and Challenges, Project Management and Best Laboratory Practices. The Junior Staff would also be schooled on 鈥淓ffective Management Systems鈥.
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