Pages From History: Dr. Kwame Nkrumah at the Opening of College of Administration, June 4, 1960
OFFICIAL OPENING OF COLLEGE OF ADMINISTRATION
Achimota. June 4, 1960
I am happy to be here this afternoon at the invitation of the College Council to open formally, this College of Administration. I would like first of all to express my warm thanks and appreciation to the Council for the splendid work it has done during the short existence of the college, which has made the present occasion possible. This College of Administration is destined to serve a very useful purpose in the general scheme of our national reconstruction and I attach considerable importance to the role it must play in the gigantic agricultural and industrial revolution that is about to begin.
The decision to transfer certain courses from the Kumasi College of Technology and to house them in a separate institution on this Western Compound of Achimota, was taken after the most careful consideration, and I wish to thank all those, who by their effort and co-operation, enabled the College to start work actively on these premises last January. We are determined that the requisite knowledge to ensure success is made available to the men and women who are to take part in this great crusade. It is for this reason and because of our unshakable belief that our youths can acquit themselves most creditably, if given the opportunity that my Party and Government have concentrated on the provision of the various institutions of learning that must produce the heroes and heroines of our industrial revolution.
Apart from this College of Administration, we have also established during the past few years, the Police Officer Training College, the Nautical College, the Military Academy, the Air Force Training School, the Law School, the Academy of Learning, the National Research Council and the School of Foreign Languages. Meanwhile, we are working on plans to establish a Medical School and a School of Tropical Medicine. All these must surely lay the foundation of what we hope for the future. I personally consider, however, and you will no doubt agree that, these institutions in themselves can achieve but little, unless the young men and women who enter them to acquire knowledge realise the gravity of their responsibility and eschew the unprogressive and distasteful attitude of intellectual arrogance which is unfortunately adopted at present by many students in some of our educational institutions. Ghanaian youth must realize that the acquisition of knowledge is excellent but that the beauty of knowledge is its application in its own given circumstances. That is the real test of achievement- knowledge applied in the service of our nation for the greatest good of the greatest number of our people.
It sometimes grieves me sorely to think that some of our youth who get the opportunity of embarking upon higher studies soon forget themselves. They adopt a most reproachable attitude and appear to think that they are better and destined to set themselves up as masters of those whose contributions enabled the state to provide the institutions, the bursaries and similar financial awards which give these very boys the opportunity they would otherwise never have had. We are working on plans to discourage this attitude and help our youth to realise positively their responsibility. They should develop in them, a keen sense of loyalty and service to the nation.
I am not unaware of the atmosphere that prevails in this College of Administration and the determination of the tutors and masters to bring up a new generation of Ghanaian youth, devoid of intellectual pomposity and dedicated to the supreme task of creating a new society in Ghana in which the needs of the people shall be the predominating factor. We want a Ghana in which no one shall be allowed to exploit the labour of others; a Community of equal citizens co- operating in building up a solid and stable economy for the total good of all.
The general education of our youth has for sometime been engaging my attention. In a country like Ghana, educational content must reflect the life of the people and must be shaped to produce results related to our actual living conditions. I do not believe in producing a mass of theoreticians eternally chanting philosophical platitudes. To me theory and practice must go together. Premium must be placed on scientific and technical education and on managers for commercial and industrial enterprises.
From this institution must come able managers of our public industries and great administrators of our state departments. We want men and women who will combine their knowledge with the practical experience of the workers on the job in planning our production. We want men who understand the importance of human relationship in modem industry and can, by their recognition of the dignity of labour, inspire confidence in working men and women, towards higher productivity and the fulfilment of the development targets ahead of us.
Our task of national reconstruction is aimed at up-lifting our people and making Ghana great and respectable side by side with the rest of Africa. It is also a part of the struggle for the total emancipation and unity of the African continent. To achieve this, everybody must be prepared to work harder, more conscientiously and more efficiently. We will do all we can to give every possible encouragement and direction to this crusade for national reconstruction. But you also must play your part. You must resolve to make your maximum contribution to this national effort. You must aim to make the fulfillment of the task a great success.
The coming 1st of July should not only be an historical event of great significance, but also a psychological turning point to our whole attitude to life in Ghana. After three years of independence, life in Ghana goes on much the same way as before independence, except for the many development projects we see around us. But many people are still without work, many people are still without homes or are paying exorbitant rents, and our agriculture is still backward. These are only a few of the growing pains. On July 1, we must prepare the way to say goodbye to these unwholesome aspects of our national life. Therefore, let us approach this great event with the firm determination to give of our best to the cause of our national reconstruction.
It is gratifying to witness another milestone in our educational advance and I refer to this institution. To commemorate this occasion, a plaque has been prepared for me to unveil. It will be a great pleasure for me to unveil this plague to mark the formal opening of the College of Administration. I trust that this institution will turn out men and women imbued with a sense of service to their country and deserving of the hopes that the country places in the institution.
 |
| President of the First Republic of Ghana Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. |
OFFICIAL OPENING OF COLLEGE OF ADMINISTRATION
Achimota. June 4, 1960
I am happy to be here this afternoon at the invitation of the College Council to open formally, this College of Administration. I would like first of all to express my warm thanks and appreciation to the Council for the splendid work it has done during the short existence of the college, which has made the present occasion possible. This College of Administration is destined to serve a very useful purpose in the general scheme of our national reconstruction and I attach considerable importance to the role it must play in the gigantic agricultural and industrial revolution that is about to begin.
The decision to transfer certain courses from the Kumasi College of Technology and to house them in a separate institution on this Western Compound of Achimota, was taken after the most careful consideration, and I wish to thank all those, who by their effort and co-operation, enabled the College to start work actively on these premises last January. We are determined that the requisite knowledge to ensure success is made available to the men and women who are to take part in this great crusade. It is for this reason and because of our unshakable belief that our youths can acquit themselves most creditably, if given the opportunity that my Party and Government have concentrated on the provision of the various institutions of learning that must produce the heroes and heroines of our industrial revolution.
Apart from this College of Administration, we have also established during the past few years, the Police Officer Training College, the Nautical College, the Military Academy, the Air Force Training School, the Law School, the Academy of Learning, the National Research Council and the School of Foreign Languages. Meanwhile, we are working on plans to establish a Medical School and a School of Tropical Medicine. All these must surely lay the foundation of what we hope for the future. I personally consider, however, and you will no doubt agree that, these institutions in themselves can achieve but little, unless the young men and women who enter them to acquire knowledge realise the gravity of their responsibility and eschew the unprogressive and distasteful attitude of intellectual arrogance which is unfortunately adopted at present by many students in some of our educational institutions. Ghanaian youth must realize that the acquisition of knowledge is excellent but that the beauty of knowledge is its application in its own given circumstances. That is the real test of achievement- knowledge applied in the service of our nation for the greatest good of the greatest number of our people.
It sometimes grieves me sorely to think that some of our youth who get the opportunity of embarking upon higher studies soon forget themselves. They adopt a most reproachable attitude and appear to think that they are better and destined to set themselves up as masters of those whose contributions enabled the state to provide the institutions, the bursaries and similar financial awards which give these very boys the opportunity they would otherwise never have had. We are working on plans to discourage this attitude and help our youth to realise positively their responsibility. They should develop in them, a keen sense of loyalty and service to the nation.
I am not unaware of the atmosphere that prevails in this College of Administration and the determination of the tutors and masters to bring up a new generation of Ghanaian youth, devoid of intellectual pomposity and dedicated to the supreme task of creating a new society in Ghana in which the needs of the people shall be the predominating factor. We want a Ghana in which no one shall be allowed to exploit the labour of others; a Community of equal citizens co- operating in building up a solid and stable economy for the total good of all.
The general education of our youth has for sometime been engaging my attention. In a country like Ghana, educational content must reflect the life of the people and must be shaped to produce results related to our actual living conditions. I do not believe in producing a mass of theoreticians eternally chanting philosophical platitudes. To me theory and practice must go together. Premium must be placed on scientific and technical education and on managers for commercial and industrial enterprises.
From this institution must come able managers of our public industries and great administrators of our state departments. We want men and women who will combine their knowledge with the practical experience of the workers on the job in planning our production. We want men who understand the importance of human relationship in modem industry and can, by their recognition of the dignity of labour, inspire confidence in working men and women, towards higher productivity and the fulfilment of the development targets ahead of us.
Our task of national reconstruction is aimed at up-lifting our people and making Ghana great and respectable side by side with the rest of Africa. It is also a part of the struggle for the total emancipation and unity of the African continent. To achieve this, everybody must be prepared to work harder, more conscientiously and more efficiently. We will do all we can to give every possible encouragement and direction to this crusade for national reconstruction. But you also must play your part. You must resolve to make your maximum contribution to this national effort. You must aim to make the fulfillment of the task a great success.
The coming 1st of July should not only be an historical event of great significance, but also a psychological turning point to our whole attitude to life in Ghana. After three years of independence, life in Ghana goes on much the same way as before independence, except for the many development projects we see around us. But many people are still without work, many people are still without homes or are paying exorbitant rents, and our agriculture is still backward. These are only a few of the growing pains. On July 1, we must prepare the way to say goodbye to these unwholesome aspects of our national life. Therefore, let us approach this great event with the firm determination to give of our best to the cause of our national reconstruction.
It is gratifying to witness another milestone in our educational advance and I refer to this institution. To commemorate this occasion, a plaque has been prepared for me to unveil. It will be a great pleasure for me to unveil this plague to mark the formal opening of the College of Administration. I trust that this institution will turn out men and women imbued with a sense of service to their country and deserving of the hopes that the country places in the institution.
No comments:
Post a Comment