Your degrees are not just certificates, they’re responsibilities – Apaak to SDD-UBIDS graduates

Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Apaak, has urged new university graduates to view their degrees as responsibilities that demand leadership, innovation, and purposeful action.

Speaking at the 4th Congregation of the Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS) in Bamahu-Wa, on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, Dr. Apaak told the graduating class that their training must translate into meaningful contributions to Ghana’s development.

“Remember that your degrees are not just certificates; they are responsibilities,” he said. “You have been trained to think critically, to innovate, and to lead with purpose.”

He warned that the world awaiting graduates is rapidly shifting, shaped by technology, global interdependence, and emerging social pressures.

“The world you are entering is fast changing, driven by technology, globalization, and complex social challenges,” he stated.

Dr. Apaak noted that Ghana faces its own share of pressing issues, including unemployment, climate change, and ongoing economic restructuring.

He described the graduating cohort as a generation positioned to confront these challenges with both courage and creativity. “You are the generation that must confront these challenges with creativity and courage,” he said.

Encouraging them to step confidently into various sectors, the Deputy Minister emphasised that the value of their degree lies in how it advances national well-being.

“Whether you become entrepreneurs, public servants, researchers, or community leaders, your duty is to use the degree from UBIDS to advance the well-being of Ghanaians,” he explained.

Earlier, Dr. Apaak highlighted the government’s interventions targeted at widening tertiary access and strengthening research output.

He cited the no-fee stress policy, which pays admission fees for all Level 100 students in public universities, including persons with disabilities, as a pivotal measure easing financial barriers for fresh entrants.

He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to operationalising the National Research Fund with a GH¢50 million seed capital to improve evidence-based policymaking across institutions.

He commended UBIDS for its growing academic profile, pointing to increased student numbers, expanding programmes, and improving research impact.

He urged graduates to apply their skills in ways that support national progress, stressing that the future of Ghana depends on graduates who are willing to innovate, lead and take responsibility.

Dr. Apaak reminded the class that national development requires bold thinkers and dedicated citizens, urging them to use their education as a tool for transformative change.