UCC Chancellor proposes 1 year military service for national service personnel

The Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Sir Sam Jonah has proposed for tertiary institution graduates of the age 19 and above to serve in the military for at least a year as part of their national service to the country.

Speaking at the Graphic National Development Series on Education, Sir Jonah suggested that this initiative should be part of a larger strategy aimed at instilling discipline, confidence, and resilience in the youth of the country.

“The concept of national service while commendable must be looked at critically to ensure the building of character in all our youth…we need leaders in our young men and women now more

than ever, leaders, not followers, who will ensure the right thing is done where and when it must be done,” he said.

Commenting on the purchase and distribution of past examination papers popularly known as Pasco to students, the University of Cape Coast (UCC) Chancellor said the approach promotes rote learning and memorization.

“Schools should not be places where students simply memorise answers to pass exams; they must become environments that inspire problem-solving, creativity, and resilience.

“We need a shift from a focus on grades to nurturing leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs capable of transforming our economy,” he said.

In a related development, the National Service Authority (NSA) says it will no longer allow service personnel posted to the teaching field to just go to the classrooms without shaping their teaching skills.

This follows the observation by the Authority that, most personnel without teaching background fail to deliver to satisfaction when sent to the classroom.

NSA has thus partnered with the National Teaching Council and Ministry of Education to train service personnel who have been posted to Senior High Schools to support the teaching and learning process.

“The training will take the service personnel through methods of teachings and shape their teaching skills, so they contribute efficiently to the discharge of their duties”, Executive Director of the National Service Authority, Osei Assibey Antwi told the media at the training of over 3,000 personnel in Kumasi.

“It’s not only about the knowledge that is being bequeathed to them but there is opportunity for them to do a distance program and earn a diploma in education which can allow the personnel to continue teaching after service.

“We now don’t want to deploy people to where they’ve not studied”, the National Service Authority (NSA) Director-General explained.