UEW-CHRAPS and MATS Roll-out Postgraduate Programmes
The Centre for Conflict, Human Rights and Peace Studies (CHRAPS) of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), and the School of Education (SOE) of the Military Academy and Training Schools (MATS) in Teshie-Accra, have initiated postgraduate programmes in security studies for military officers and civilians to be taken at the MATS in Teshie-Accra.
The programmes, which are designed to raise the security awareness of terrorism in Ghana, Africa, and beyond, would begin in 2023. Admissions forms are currently on sale. The programmes on offer are Master of Arts, Master of Philosophy, Executive Masters, and Doctor of Philosophy in Conflict, Human Rights, and Peace Studies.
This came to light when a five-member delegation from CHRAPS called on the Commandant of MATS, Maj. Gen. Charles Kodjo Abede Asomaning Awity on Thursday, 11th August, 2022, to finalise the collaboration between the two institutions.
The Leader of the CHRAPS delegation and Dean of the Faculty of Social Science Education, Prof. Lucy Effeh Attom, recounted CHRAPS’ invaluable contribution to the training of responsible civilians and armed forces in the country since its establishment. She indicated that CHRAPS decided to bring the programmes to the MATS campus to lessen the stress military officers go through when they enroll on the programmes at Winneba.
She continued by saying that the initiative is also aimed at supporting the development of officers who are on top of their game in the fight against terrorism and other security-related issues. She assured them that her outfit would provide a very flexible mode of instruction to accommodate their busy schedules.
The Ag. Director of CHRAPS, Dr. George Hikah Benson, intimated that the partnership would cover joint research in peacekeeping, which has become a major tool for conflict management in the United Nations system and other international organisations. Dr. Benson said that the collaboration would also allow UEW students to do their internship at the academy to help them get first-hand practical lessons from military officers who have gone on peacekeeping missions.
Maj. Gen. Awity expressed delight at the move by CHRAPS to fuse theoretical knowledge with real-world experience for the training of civilians and military officers on security issues. He pointed to the expansion of the Military Academy and the upgrade of facilities as key to sustaining the partnership.
“At least now, we have four very large classrooms that can take about 80 students at a sitting. The auditorium for 850 people is under construction and will be completed by the first quarter of next year. So we will support you with our facilities to make the delivery of the programmes easier," he said.
The Officer Commanding, SOE and Coordinator for the CODeL Centre, MATS, Lt. Col. Hilda Asiedu, underscored her outfit's continuous efforts to promote and enhance the educational needs of the Ghana Armed Forces, noting that collaborating with CHRAPS would go a long way to further augment the knowledge base of officers in the areas of peace, human rights, and conflict studies.
She was optimistic that the collaboration would be very beneficial to the Ghana Armed Forces given that one major duty of soldiers is to serve as peacekeepers both locally and in the international arena. "So, having the practical and theoretical aspects of peace management with commensurate certification would aid officers to work better wherever they find themselves."
The SOE-CODeL Liaison Officer, Lt. Abel Nartey, reassured the CHRAPS delegation of a conducive environment for teaching and learning, especially for civilians, as long as they comply with the rules of the academy.
