Apostle Professor Kwabena Agyapong-Kodua, the Vice-Chancellor of Pentecost University, has urged newly admitted students to ensure that the knowledge they acquire in the classroom is reflected in their daily lives.
He warned that separating academic knowledge from practical living undermined national development, stressing that Ghana’s progress depended largely on graduates who understood and applied what they learned in school.
“The greatest problem of our nation is the gap between the knowledge we acquire and what we actually do,” he said.
“If the average Ghanaian graduate truly understood what he or she learnt at the university, Ghana would be in a better place.”
The Vice-Chancellor said this while addressing fresh students during the university’s matriculation ceremony, in Accra, on Saturday.
The ceremony formally admitted 1,562 new students as junior members of the university for the 2025/2026 academic year.
The group comprised 137 postgraduate students, 1,175 undergraduate students and 248 certificate and professional students distributed across seven faculties and schools including Theology and Mission, Business Administration, Education, Health and Allied Sciences, Information Technology, Engineering and Law.
Prof Agyapong-Kodua said matriculation represent more than a ceremonial event, describing it as a commitment to the values and mission of the institution.
“Matriculation is more than a formality. It is a commitment. As you take your official place in this university, you pledge to uphold its values and contribute positively to its mission,” he said.
He reminded students that education must lead to transformation, stressing that universities should produce graduates who were not only academically competent but also morally upright and socially responsible.
“At Pentecost University, we firmly believe that education must lead to transformation. Our goal is not merely to award certificates and degrees but to shape lives that reflect integrity, competence and godliness,” Prof Agyapong-Kodua stated.
The Vice-Chancellor cautioned students against dismissing academic knowledge as mere “book learning,” noting that such attitudes weakened professional practice and national progress.
“Do not separate your good academic learning from your actions. Do not call anything ‘book-long’ or say someone is only interested in books. When we separate academics from real life, we endanger the future of this nation,” he said.
According to him, professionals who failed to apply what they studied contribute to systemic inefficiencies in sectors such as healthcare, governance and the economy.
“You can find someone teaching very well and setting difficult questions, yet he does not apply those same principles in his own life,” he said.
“The greatest harm to our nation is the disparity between academic knowledge and practical living.”
The Vice-Chancellor therefore encouraged students to approach their studies with discipline and purpose, stressing that their future depended largely on the commitment they show today.
“Your future is in what you do now. The value of what you do today will determine who you become tomorrow,” he told the students.
He also highlighted several institutional developments, including the introduction of a Certificate in Moral and National Development programme for all undergraduate students to strengthen civic responsibility and ethical leadership.
In addition, the university has established a Faculty of Education, which has received accreditation for two programmes– BA in Early Childhood Education and MPhil in Special Needs and Inclusive Education.
The Vice-Chancellor said the new programmes were designed to respond to national and global needs in teacher preparation and inclusive education.
He also encouraged the students to pursue excellence while allowing their knowledge to influence their character and actions.
“Let your time here be marked by diligence, integrity and spiritual maturity. Allow your mind to be renewed, your character to be refined and your vision to be enlightened,” he advised.
