University of Ghana Sports Directorate Holds Justify for UG-PASS - A world class?

Photocredit: UG Sports Directorate

University of Ghana has over the years showcased not only academic excellence but holistic development of professionals for the corporate environment, with such individuals in their chosen fields, making tremendous impact in society. As many Universities sprung up in numbers in Ghana, desiring to compete with the premier University of Ghana means one must first follow or study its policies better. Free advice! The University still holds its prestige by producing leaders for the nation. “There is no doubt a quick random sample of Senior High Schools to select their preferred University will prove beyond reasonable doubt” – “I want University of Ghana” Waaaaat! .

A resent observation from the National Science Quiz blew my mind, when 50 to 100 students randomly interviewed from participating schools, about 80 percent have University of Ghana in the top list – thus first choice!  The University of Ghana has taken a step further, from the usual nurturing of the Medical Students to become doctors, or Lecturers, motivating Political Science, Communication Studies Students to become CEO, Mangers just to mention but a few to developing sportsmen and women for the nation. “My engineering buddy will criticize me if I there to take his profession out of the list. His now working in an IT firm and planning to set up his own Consortium”. That is the spirit Richard! The system will build you up!

Another area that much attention has not been given in terms of development (human and infrastructure) but serves as an avenue to showcase the University to the rest of the world and consequently reduce unemployment in Ghana is Sports. Yes, Sports!  A quotation I dare anyone to challenge “The ambition of University to reach world class status without an element of sports proves fruitless”. Well, I’ve thrown that bomb! Boooom!! That is the point!

Sports in the world is rapidly serving as a tool for most advance economy to absorb unemployed youth in their country. These nations pay attention to talent development. They nurture them, sell the idea of combing academics with sports, introduce them to career opportunities in the world of sports, get them to sign up to good agents, and they just make it without posing as “Unemployed Graduate Association”. I was happy when the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports in this current administration on radio said faintly his intention to introduce some of the teams into the Youth Employment Program. Brilliant I must confess, but a thorough policy analysis must be conducted and evaluated to effectively ensure such initiatives do not stay in the “head”. What will be the relevance of Sports in the country when we fail to lay a good foundation for our children to appreciate it. Are we encouraging them to combine their talents specifically in sports to academics? If Singapore, United States of America(USA) among others have taken such initiatives, enhancing College/University Sports, why not the Universities in Ghana?  Take USA for instance, its so obvious majority of their professional athletes including those who represent them in Olympics are either from the High Schools, Colleges or University or are graduates  among others.Well, that will be the next topic of my piece!

I must confess, after following the University of Ghana Policy on the Admission of Athlete Students (UG-PAAS) for 3years, I had a gasp and sense of relief when I had several calls form good athletes praising how the program has redirected their life. Some of them are already excelling academically, while others are poised, making their mark in the University. I also witnessed a young and brilliant girl who came from nowhere but through the UG-PAAS to break and subsequently set a record which has been there for years. I witness the most incredible basketball team , having the “Best Basketball University Coach in Africa” – Meme Falconer turning them into winners as UG-Basketball Victors, GUSA Champions, UPAC Champions, African Champion and should they have gone to any world event, I have no doubt they will make Africa proud. These are some of the initiative stakeholders not only in the sports industry but in the corporate world must support. Some of the athletes or players were in UG-PAAS program, a foundation lead under the tutelage of Dr. Bella Bello Bitugu, Director of Sports. Least we forget all these initiatives should we fail to support, manage and constantly make sure the best  effort that goes into further enhancing it, lets forget that dream of producing professional in the world of Sports. Its our dream to see these great athletes, nurtured in best environment possible, with good facilities, unflinching government support, good morale from the Vandals and UG Supporters Union – Support. University of Ghana will definitely reap the desired fruits from the UG-PAAS.

Let me remind my folks who careless the direction of University of Ghana.According to the vision of the school as published on the official website of the University, the vision is to

“To become a world class research-intensive University over the next decade” and mission is

“We will create an enabling environment that makes University of Ghana increasingly relevant to national and global development through cutting-edge research as well as high quality teaching and learning”

This year the University of Ghana Sports Directorate is organizing the fourth edition of the Justify Your Inclusion from Tuesday July 18 - Saturday 22, 2017 at the University of Ghana.

According to the Sports Directorate website, “UG-PAAS follows a process of Talent-hunt (Scouting), Talent Identification (through justifies) and Talent Development (training and mentoring after gaining admission)”

The UG-PAAS serves as a strategy for admitting talented student athletes after successfully going through the Justify Your Inclusion and ultimately meeting the academic requirements of the University of Ghana as mentioned on the Sports Directorate of University of Ghana UG-PASS hand book.

Meanwhile, the 4th edition of the justifies will witness potential students’ athletes participating in Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Football, Handball, Hockey, Netball, Rugby, Table Tennis, Tennis and Volleyball.