The Counselling Centre of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has organised a Psychoeducational Seminar for first-year KNUST students in the Obuasi Campus on Saturday, 2nd April 2022 at the Obuasi Sports Complex. The programme was organised to equip the first-year students with the prerequisite psycho-social support to adjust to school life and enhance their learning skills.
Mr. Joseph Asamoah-Gyawu, the Former Counsellor for the Obuasi Campus and Coordinator of the seminar, expressed his delight with the turnout and congratulated the freshmen on their acceptance to KNUST. He added that the Counselling Centre is there to help them academically, socially, emotionally, and mentally. The KNUST Counselling Centre (KCC) was founded because the mental health of students is extremely important to the Management of KNUST.
The counsellor for the College of Engineering, Dr. Elizabeth Anokyewaa Sarfo Fordjour, presented on "Becoming a Grade 'A' Student." She highlighted “techniques on how to study effectively,” “ways to write exams and pass,” “how to know their learning peak period” and “techniques on note-taking,” among others. She also admonished the students to patronise group studies as it holds one of the best ways to efficiently study to be a grade “A” student. “Form groups, engage group members and you would know the effectiveness of it,” she added.
Ms. Akua Afriyie Addae, the Counsellor for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, also talked about "Making Your Relationship Work for You.” She focused her presentation on two aspects of relationships with roommates and relationships with the opposite sex. She emphasised the importance of maintaining positive relations with their roommates and ways they can achieve that. Speaking about relationships with the opposite sex, Ms. Addae advised them, especially the ladies, to be very assertive about what they wanted.
Counsellor for the College of Science, Mrs. Bernice S. O. Peasah, presented to the freshmen on "Adjusting to Your New Life Away from Home." Her presentation covered how to investigate adjustment concerns, how to assess personal challenges and how to make tiny but effective changes to improve adjustment on Campus.
“One way to adjust to your new life away from home is to set boundaries and respect other people’s boundaries as well. What you allow is what will continue, learn to say no,” she said.
Mrs. Peasah counselled them to set their priorities right, identify options and take advantage of them, strengthen their support systems, and know when to seek professional help. “Feel free to contact the KNUST Counselling Centre and remember that some things are beyond their control to change,” she stated.
The students expressed their satisfaction with the organisation and content of the seminar.
“The program was very educative and impactful. I learned a lot about how to live on campus, how to manage my time and how to study to ace my exams. I hope the KCC continues to organise such programs for us. We are very grateful,” Francis Boampong, a Logistics and Supply Chain Management student, disclosed.