Chief Executive of Stanbic Bank Ghana, Kwamina Asomaning, has advised
that the academic curriculum should be designed towards meeting the
needs of industry. He made this call at the Academics, Business and
Administration Forum (ABAF) launch held at the Accra City Hotel.
In
his address as the Guest of Honor, Mr. Asomaning highlighted the
importance of ensuring that the academic curriculum is in line with the
needs of industry players to ensure that students are equipped to make
positive contributions in the professional space.
He said, “The
business school recently graduated over 14,000 students who will need
jobs. Are the needs of industry merged with the curriculum they received
at school? Internships have been utilized over the years to expose
students to practical work related to their studies and careers. This
has provided them with basic experience and new skills.”
“At
Stanbic Bank, we currently collaborate with some American universities
to address industry needs. They send their students to us to elicit key
challenges that need solutions. These are then factored into the
training that the schools offer their students. The projects address
specific business or management issues with the students assigned to
projects based on their interests, qualifications, and experience.
While the students gained invaluable practical international experience,
we received high-quality professional consulting services under faculty
supervision. Is it possible for academia in Ghana to adopt such an
initiative?”
Kwamina Asomaning also commended the organizers for
this initiative and encouraged them in their efforts to raise
future-ready students. He mentioned, “I want to commend the organizers
for creating this forum, which provides a platform for dialogue, idea
exchange, and collective action. The diverse expertise and perspectives
represented here today highlight our commitment to progress. Our goal is
to make a positive impact on the lives of all our citizens. I want to
emphasize the importance of involving students and youth in our
discussions. They are the innovators of our country, and their voices
and perspectives are invaluable. Let's create opportunities for them to
learn, grow, and contribute to our collective effort.”
Over the
years, Stanbic Bank has shown support to academia through various
initiatives. Last year the bank donated 50 laptops to the University of
Ghana in support of the Vice Chancellors' One Student One Laptop (1S1L)
initiative. The bank collaborated with the Women in STEM Ghana (WiSTEM)
to train, equip and inspire 200 girls from 23 senior high schools to
learn and develop their skills and knowledge in Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Many other educational institutions
have benefited from the bank's STEM-focused interventions, including
KNUST, Takoradi Technical University, Sunyani School of Professional
Studies, Blessed Holy Child Academy etc.
Academics, Business, and
Administrators Forum (ABAF), is a platform dedicated to the promotion
of synergies between academia and industry for effective development.
The launch was chaired by Prof. Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa, Vice-Chancellor
of the Ghana Communication Technology University.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
