11, 000 students ditched yet-to-be renamed Jerry John Rawlings University after gaining admission
- The school offered 16,763 students application to read various subjects
- However, just a little over 5000 accepted the offer
- The University is expected to be renamed after Jerry John Rawlings
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Information reaching YEN.com.gh indicates that interest in the University for Development Studies (UDS) as one of the country’s high learning institutions is waning.
It follows the disclosure that at least 11, 000 students ditched school after gaining admission.
Source: UGC
The school in the 2020/2021 academic year offered 16,763 applicants admission to undertake various undergraduate programmes.
However, only 5,518 students accepted the offer, according to the school’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gabriel Ayum Teye.
He was speaking at the 28th matriculation ceremony of the school on Friday, 12 February 2021.
In the meantime, the campaign to have the school renamed after Jerry John Rawlings gained a major boost after the family of the late president expressed support to the idea.
Publicly, Rawlings expressed great repugnance to naming national monuments after him.
However, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo insists on renaming the foremost learning institution in Northern Ghana after him.
Rawlings was extremely instrumental in the establishment of UDS, Ghana’s first public university in the North in May 1992.
He donated his $50,000 World Food prize as the seed money for its establishment. The institution began work in September 1993 with the admission of 40 students into the Faculty of Agriculture, Nyankpala.
Ghanaians on Wednesday, January 27, 2021, laid to rest their longest-serving head of state, Flight Lieutenant, Jerry John Rawlings, after four days of final funeral rites in his honour.
Born on June 22, 1947, many never believed the man also called ‘Junior Jesus’ would one day be no more.
But, he died on November 12, 2020, at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, whilst receiving treatment after a short illness.
He was 73.
Rawlings twice overthrew what he believed were corrupt regimes in Ghana and seized power.
In June 1979, with the help of other junior officers, he overthrew the military government of Ignatius Kutu Acheampong and Lieut. Gen. Frederick W.K. Akuffo.
Rawlings re-established multi-party democracy in Ghana after 11 years of military rule.
The first presidential election since 1979 was held in 1992 to usher in the fourth republic.
He won that year’s election and was re-elected four years later. The 2000 election tested Rawlings’ commitment for the return to multi-party democracy, and he passed with distinction.
He peacefully handed over power to the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2001.
President Akufo-Addo said history will be “kind” to Rawlings for his contribution to Ghana’s democratic growth.
Speaking on Wednesday, January 27, 2021, at the state funeral of the late first president of the fourth republic, Akufo-Addo commended Rawlings for ditching dictatorship for the current democracy the country is enjoying.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
