The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, officially welcomed fresh students admitted for the 2010/ 2011 Academic Year into all the six traditional halls of residence on campus on Friday, 13th August, 2010 to begin their respective programmes of study.
As part of the University's annual tradition, new students are required to undergo a general orientation exercise with respect to the mode of operation and other related activities on campus. Moreover, the orientation serves as the requisite platform to provide firsthand information, directions and general rules about the University to newly- admitted students.
This year's orientation was held at the Great Hall and recorded a high patronage of fresh students who have just been admitted into the University to pursue degree programmes. The entire orientation has been scheduled for a two-week duration. The first group comprising four different colleges namely: College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, College of Engineering, College of Health Sciences and College of Science would be taken through the pending orientation for the week from Monday, 16th to Thursday, 19th August.
The second group to be ushered through orientation would be freshmen from the College of Architecture and Planning and College of Art and Social Sciences. In view of that, the above-mentioned group is earmarked to undergo orientation the subsequent week, thus, from Monday, 23rd to Thursday, 26th August.
To bring the entire programme to a successful fruition, a special orientation would be organized for international students on Friday, 27th August, 2010.
The curious fresh students had the opportunity to receive lectures and words of advice from some dignitaries who touched on specific topics. The first to speak was Rev. (Dr) P.K. Boafo, who enlightened the new students on the functions of the University Chaplaincy; Dr. Kofi Owusu-Daako, the Dean of Students, gave a presentation about the role of the Office of the Dean of Students.
As the event was unfolding per the progamme outline, Prof. Sam Afrane, was invited to make a key submission on the topic "Finding Yourself in a Programme you did not plan for"; Mrs. Helena Asamoah-Hassan, the University Librarian, gave a brief information about the University's Library and its resources. Last but not least, was Mr. Kofi Yamoah, who touched on the "Guidance and Counseling Services for Students".
Meanwhile, the fresh students at the function were given the privilege to ask questions or make constructive contributions at the end of each presentation. As a consequence, the atmosphere in the auditorium (Great Hall) could be described as highly interactive. Before the curtains were drawn at the Great Hall, all the First Year Students were once again congratulated on their admission into KNUST, one of the finest science and technology institutions in the world.
Importance of Orientation
First impression is very paramount, and providing quality orientation to fresh students is equally crucial to the administrative set up of the University. Subsequently, it's against this background that the orientation programme has been designed to formally welcome new students to KNUST, Kumasi, and offers newcomers the opportunity to meet and fraternize with other students.
In addition, the programme is designed to provide basic information about the University to all freshmen who have been offered admission to study degree programmes in the University. Below are some few reasons why orientations are necessary:
- It enables fresh students to become more comfortable in their new learning environment.
- The University's mission, vision and values are unraveled to the fresh students.
- Students are made to understand the organizational structure of the University.
- Policies such as code of ethics, rules and regulations are disclosed to new students.
- Fresh students are subsequently introduced to KNUST campus, especially in the area of mapping.
- Psychologically, new students attain a sense of belonging to the University community.
- It provides the platform for new students to become more productive and result-oriented quickly at the preliminary stage of their studies.
