The University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) in the Western Region has held its 14th matriculation to admit fresh students to pursue various degrees in mining programmes.
Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Jerry Kuma, Vice Chancellor of the University, said out of the total number of 2,292 applicants, the university admitted only 597 students, representing 26 percent.
He said out of the number, 457, representing 77 percent were males while 140, representing 23 percent were females.
Prof Kuma said the University has been working to encourage more females to study engineering through several initiatives, stressed that they have done this over the years through its gender mainstreaming policy.
“We are not going to rest until our vision of increasing the percentage of females studying engineering in the university to 50 per cent is achieved” the Vice Chancellor said.
In the postgraduate sector, Prof Kuma said, they admitted 95 students to pursue various programmes leading to the award of Master of Science (MSc), Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees.
He said UMaT has admitted 8 students who would be the first batch of the certificate course in small scale mining and quarry administration programme which they have developed to provide them with the needed skills to manage their concession well and also use the best methods to mine without causing damage to the environment.
Prof Kuma expressed the hope that the training these students would receive after their studies will support the pledge of the President’s initiative to address the galamsey menace.
He said they are working hard to introduce a number of demand-driven undergraduate programmes in the coming years.
“This include programmes in Civil Engineering, Financial Mathematics, Data and Actuarial Science, Aerospace Engineering, Petroleum Geosciences and Engineering, Natural Gas Engineering, Petroleum Refining and Petrochemical Engineering, Technical Communication, Land Administration and Information Systems, Spatial Planning and Robotics Engineering” he said.
The Vice Chancellor called on the fresh students to remain focused and strive to study hard to turn their dreams into reality.
In addition, he urged the matriculants to seize the opportunity that this University offers to gain knowledge and become the future leaders who would change and liberate the society for the better.
source; ghcampus.com
