The School of Business Students' Association (KSBSA), in collaboration with the School of Business Graduate Students' Association (KSBGSA) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has established an 80-seater study area to provide students with a conducive space for group discussions, tutorials, project work and evening study.
The GH¢200,000 project was jointly funded by the KNUST School of Business and the two student associations, with each contributing GH¢100,000 towards the establishment of the facility.
Prof. Felicity Asiedu-Appiah, Vice Dean of the KNUST School of Business, said the project was initiated in response to the growing need for additional spaces where students could study and interact outside formal lecture rooms and library settings.
"We realized that we needed to do more. This area offers students the opportunity to have informal discussions, group discussions and even tutorials," she said.
She said existing spaces at the Ayim Complex were largely formal and designed for individual study, making it difficult for students to engage in group work or tutorials.
Prof. Asiedu-Appiah said the facility was already proving useful, particularly during examination periods, when students often need places to study while waiting to enter examination halls.
"In fact, it has already started benefiting them. Every morning, you come and students are here studying as they wait to be seated in the examination room," she said.
She added that the facility is equipped with marker boards, fans and charging sockets installed at the tables to support students' academic activities. The study area can accommodate about 80 students at a time.
Prof. Asiedu-Appiah said the school was exploring the possibility of establishing additional study areas at other locations within the School of Business to expand facilities available to students.
She also encouraged future student leaders to build on the initiative by undertaking similar projects that would improve students' academic experience and welfare.
Ernest Afari, President of the KSB Students' Association, said the idea for the facility was conceived after the association identified a shortage of suitable study spaces during examination periods.
"During exam time, our students normally come around and do not have places to sit. We brought the idea of setting up this place to reduce lateness and encourage tutorials and evening studies," he said.
He said the marker board would facilitate group discussions and collaborative learning, while the fans would make evening study more comfortable.
"We have also fixed two sockets on each table to help students charge their laptops and mobile phones during studies," he said.
The initiative reflects the collaborative efforts of the KNUST School of Business, the KSB Students' Association and the KSB Graduate Students' Association to create a more supportive and student-centred learning environment.
Story: Ama Pokuaa Mensah
