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The Founder and President of Regentropfen University College, Rev. Fr. Dr. Moses Asaah Awinongya, has defended the decision to establish a university in Namoo, in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region, arguing that young people in rural communities should not have to travel to southern Ghana to access quality higher education.
He said the institution was established to bridge the gap between talent and educational opportunity, despite concerns about the commercial viability of operating a university in a rural setting and early challenges involving infrastructure, accommodation, road access and student enrolment.
“Many asked me at the beginning of the University College and some still do today, whether establishing a University College in a rural area made/make business sense. My answer was and is simple: YES. The young people will create wealth for Ghana. We are promoting talents. We are not maximizing profit,” he said.
Rev. Fr. Dr. Awinongya made the remarks as Regentropfen marked its 10th anniversary, reflecting on the institution’s beginnings and its ambition to make higher education accessible to young people who might otherwise face geographical and financial barriers.
He said the decision to establish the institution in the Bongo District was informed by the limited opportunities available to students in the Upper East Region, many of whom previously had to travel to the southern part of the country to pursue higher education.
The President described the situation before the university’s establishment as an educational desert, arguing that the distance between rural communities and institutions of higher learning had contributed to unequal access to educational opportunities.
“Whereas talents could be seen spread throughout the country, the same could not be said about opportunities to higher education,” he said.
He maintained that a young person’s prospects should not be determined by whether they were born in Namoo or a major Ghanaian city.
A difficult start in rural Bongo
The President acknowledged that establishing and sustaining the institution was not easy, particularly during its early years when infrastructure and funding were limited.
The university faced challenges involving accommodation for staff and students, difficult road access and low enrolment, while questions were raised about whether enough students would be willing to travel to Namoo for university education.
“We had more faith than facilities and more vision than funding,” he said.
He credited the University for Development Studies and other institutional partners with helping the university navigate its early challenges.
He also acknowledged the contributions of traditional authorities, community members, staff, students, alumni, parents, guardians, academic and industry partners, benefactors and supporters in Germany.
According to him, the institution’s development has been the result of collective contributions rather than the work of one individual.
Expanding opportunities beyond the classroom
Regentropfen began with accreditation to offer 10 programmes, comprising five diploma and five bachelor’s degree programmes. It currently offers five diploma programmes, 10 undergraduate degree programmes and three postgraduate programmes, with additional programmes submitted to the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission for accreditation.
The President said the university also wanted its graduates to become problem-solvers and job creators, rather than depend solely on the availability of formal employment.
He announced plans to intensify entrepreneurship training, with the ambition of ensuring that every student graduates with a diploma in entrepreneurship.
The institution also hopes to expand postgraduate education and research, deepen industry and international partnerships, secure a charter and introduce a medical programme within the next five to ten years, supported by an intended hospital.
Rev. Fr. Dr. Awinongya appealed to individuals and institutions of goodwill to partner with Regentropfen to extend quality education to underserved communities, particularly young people who face barriers to accessing higher education.
As the institution enters its second decade, its central challenge will be to sustain its expansion ambitions while ensuring that its educational opportunities remain accessible to the rural communities it was established to serve.
Regentropfen is celebrating its 10th anniversary under the theme, “From Vision to Reality: A Decade of Promoting Talents and Shaping Future Minds.”
Source: Bolgafmonline.com| 102.7 MHz| Bongo
