A lot of serious concerns were raised by the SRC Vice President in this discussion. He also gave us more juice on the plans by the SRC for the semester.
It’s a whole revealing session. Just follow through!
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: For all curious folks, we will like to know who you are, please?
Src Vice president: My name I’m positive you obviously know. Timothy Nnyuieke Thatchroot Becke. I am a Voltarian from Atiavi. From a family of seven including mum and dad. First of Four boys and a lady who is directly after me. I am married with two beautiful kids. A boy and a girl. An accounts administrator with Faith Community Baptist Complex of Schools.
I belong to the Faculty of Informatics and Mathematical Sciences and Social Studies because of my course combinations. BSc. Economics and Statistics to be precise and I’m in level 400. I am passionate about developmental issues, especially development of young people and as such I volunteer for the Young Men Christian Association ( YMCA) which is a voluntary non-denominational international organization.
I have served in various capacities within the YMCA. I belong to the Baptist denomination of the Christian religion and currently worship with Temple of Grace Baptist Church in Madina.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: Wow. You have a lot on your plate already so why vie the position of Vice President?
Src Vice President: The need to serve the community you belong, with the experience I have gathered from organizations like the YMCA and the Ghana Baptist Men Ministry where I serve as the chairman of the finance committee.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: Obviously you must be very responsible. Tell us how you are able to make time for all your responsibilities?
SRC Vice President: I’m committed to what I avail myself for. Planning in all this for me is very essential. All the various groups have a different calendar of activities and I ensure I make time for all. For instance, I know I must attend NEC meetings twice every quarter. If I am not available, I delegate.
The fact that I am a leader doesn’t mean I must be physically present everywhere. Such leaders are never effective. So the ability to delegate others to stand in for you is also critical and managing your leadership role. Simply put, planning, time management, and delegation. Social media has even made things easier for leaders. You can have effective virtual meetings and therefore not be meeting in physical spaces
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: You mentioned you’re passionate about developmental issues, how would you turn this passion of yours into action in line with your responsibilities and duties as Vice President?
SRC Vice President: One of the things YMCA across the globe is doing now is what we call the “POWER SPACES”. the idea is to create a safe space either physical or virtual, for young people to engage productively. Space which is youth-friendly, disability friendly, devoid of social clarification and so on.
What I intend to do is use fashion to assemble students with fashion interest. Fashion Awards Show where the models will all be students of MUCG. We will also have capacity building workshop in the areas of civic competence, governance, and entrepreneurship.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: What kind of impact do you envision to make as a team at the end of the year?
Src Vice President: Our campaign was largely anchored on hope restoration. Students must be interested in their own affairs. Whatever challenges we find ourselves in as students, we must provide solutions by ourselves. They must see the General Assembly as an avenue to let their voices heard. Included in our manifesto is the desire to start an SRC complex building.
That is still keen on the agenda but one of the things I will also be so glad about is to see my fellow students more concerned about the issues that affect us. Separation of SRC account from the school management is also a battle I am very much interested in. I believe students are paying SRC dues because they want to see basic development like the provision of a lighting system to aid them in their studies, some level of entertainment etc.
We cannot continue to allow management to determine largely when we should entertain ourselves like some primary school kids. At the end of our tenure, we should be able to bring about the change every student is yearning for.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: From what I’m getting you mean to say the school’s management manages the account of the SRC and has to finalize the approval in relation to the disbursement of funds?
Src Vice President: Yes. Exactly. They determine when there are funds to carry out which program or project which I believe flies in the face of the SRC constitution.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: So how will you solve this issue. I believe we should be in control of whatever concerns us.
SRC Vice President: Exactly my point. I think over the years, management has treated the SRC the way they like because of some SRC office holders. I believe people see you the way you present yourself. We shall have a
different posturing. We are designing some action plan for the period. First, is to engage management in dialogue and point out our frustrations and demand correction of the breach in our constitution.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: What happens if they do not heed to your demands? What’s your plan B if this shouldn’t go according to plan?
SRC Vice President: There are a number of options available if that fails to bring the needed result. The next will be a peaceful demonstration. I wish we won’t get to that stage but if that also fails, the other option is to seek legal redress.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: I hope so too. Do you think the making of soap, the mobile bookstore, and others your other executives mentioned would generate enough of funds for all the wonderful projects you’re going to embark on?
SRC Vice President: Not enough though but the idea is to start it and build a very strong foundation for its expansion by successive SRC regimes. It is a self-help initiative which is to help generate income for basic programs and also an avenue to train some interested students.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: Right and it’s a laudable one but how will you deal with the competition from the printing press in the school who sort of offer the same services as the mobile bookstore you intend to bring up?
SRC Vice President: MTN is a communication giant in Ghana and many other countries, not because they are the only Telecom company. The difference is the marketing strategy.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: Very well said, Sir!
SRC Vice President: Thank you but I am a bit uncomfortable with sir. Tim will do. Lol
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: Lol no problem. What, in your opinion, has accounted for the yearly decrease of the student population? What do you think the way forward should be?
SRC Vice President: Two categories of issues account for the yearly decline in student enrollment. Externally, I think public universities are deliberately crowding out the private universities. They are creating more space for intake than it used to be. And also admitting a student with grades they didn’t use to admit.
Of course, the public universities are universities of choice for every SHS graduate and so grab the opportunity even if they have to pay exorbitant prices. Internally, I think management is also failing to realize that the school is a university.
MUCG is one of the boring schools I have seen. High fees is another reason for the decline. Especially for international students. I can say without any shred of doubt that we have some of the best lecturers. And very committed to duty.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: Lol boring indeed!! How would you revive the school in its state of slumber? What are your plans for the semester?
SRC Vice President: A barrage of activities. The first is freshers weekend, followed by a PUSAG week and the SRC week which will be spiced up with engaging activities like a fashion awards night I spoke about. We are also planning a weekly karaoke night. A viewing center is also on coming on board.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: Sounds rousing already! I’m sure we all can’t wait
Src Vice President: The way forward. I believe students referrals is a very effective channel to utilize. Strengthening the reward package for referring a student to the school. Some students have ceaselessly complained about how the promised reward package is never paid to them.
A reduction in fees is possible. If the price of the commodity is inelastic, it is important to rather reduce the price in other to increase revenue. I believe reducing fees levels will encourage more people to come. I also believe that the marketing department must also up their game.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: I see you’re putting your knowledge gotten from economics at work here! How would you as the SRC help to increase student population?
SRC Vice President: We are starting this Saturday The WAEC HEIGHT where we shall be present at the NOV/DEC EXAM center to distribute flyers. We also want to produce short videos which we can share through the social media as well as churches on church presentations in Methodist Churches in Accra
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: Whats the aim of The WAEC HEIGHT? What information do these flyers contain? And would you be going to just one center? What are the videos about? What will your presentations be about?
SRC Vice President: Let me start with the video. It will be a short ad headline, “WHY METHODIST UNIVERSITY “? The WAEC HEIGHT accommodates about 6000 candidates at a sitting. Targeting that place alone can make some impact. But we are not going to concentrate on only WAEC HEIGHT. The flyers contain information about MUCG but most importantly, we shall be taking some data from the students’ follow-ups
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: I hope these are not mere words though but we’ll indeed see an immense change
SRC Vice President: We are committed to these ideas but in all these ideas, we will need resources which must come from management.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: I asked this question to almost all your executives but I still would want to know your view as well, are the weekend and evening students left out?
SRC Vice President: Not at all. We are ensuring that starting with the formation of committees, they are adequately represented. I think what has been the problem is their time schedules since they only come to school after work and lecture schedules are also very tight
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: What would you wish to change or improve on about the previous src administration?
SRC Vice President: Without thinking about it, Transparency.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: Hmm… How would you ensure transparency this time around and successively?
SRC Vice President: I can only talk about my tenure. The issue about transparency is that it is leadership engineered. If you have a leader whose primary reason for taking the position is to serve and leave a legacy, he allows for transparency.
Allowing the structures to work will be important. All the various arms of our governance structures must be allowed to work. Lest I forget, I believe a constitutional review is long overdue. It is one of the things we outlined in our manifesto.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: You think the constitution should be revised?
SRC Vice President: Very much.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: Given the opportunity what one thing would you make a modification to, concerning the constitution?
SRC Vice President: Many things but most importantly, the qualification criteria for SRC executives. Especially the president. Allowing for only students with CGPA of 3.25 to contest for the position of a president is to assume that leadership abilities are conterminous with academic brilliance.
In my view, this provision flies in the face of the Ghanaian constitution which allows anyone with a degree at least to contest for the high office of the President. A CGPA of 3.25 means you are a second class upper division student. There are born leaders who may have second class lower or even third class.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: What is your greatest fear in life?
SRC Vice President: Fear of failure. I fear failure and that energizes me to strive for success.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: Hmm… would you then consider yourself as very ambitious?
SRC Vice President: Some even think I am overly ambitious. Lol If striving for success means I am very ambitious, then I am.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: Lol very well then. What would you say to the married, who possibly have kids, are working and wish to further their education just as you are doing?
SRC Vice President: Hmmm. The journey for me has been very exciting even though it comes some level of stress. I believe education has no age barriers. The lectures become more practical because of the experience at work especially if it’s the same field you are working in.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: What do you in your leisure time?
SRC Vice President: I love to swim or hang out with friends with a common interest
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: What or who inspires you?
SRC Vice President: My number one inspiration comes from master Jesus. But Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah is my greatest human inspiration. From a humble beginning, he rose to become a very powerful voice for humanity. Especially black people.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: Finally what would you like to say, especially to the student body?
SRC Vice President: The journey ahead promises to be exciting because I believe together, we can process a solution to our common challenges. I wish every student a successful semester. REMEMBER, FAILURE IS A CHOICE. SO IS SUCCESS. THE LATTER BRINGS FULFILLMENT.
Kuulpeeps Methodist University: Thank you very much for your time. We must say we’ve enjoyed this interview very much. We believe you are real, very humble, honest and very convincing as well and we wish you nothing but the best. It is our wish that all your plans and good intentions for our dear school will be accomplished.
SRC Vice President: I am more excited dear!
We’d reiterate this statement by the SRC Vice President, “Remember, Failure is a choice. So is success. The latter brings fulfillment. Interesting semester ahead!
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