Harmful peer associations in universities lead to academic failure – Presbyterian University Ghana VC warns freshmen

The Vice-Chancellor of the Presbyterian University, Ghana (PUG), Prof. John Ofosu-Anim, has urged newly admitted students to prioritise healthy academic networking over harmful relationships.

Prof. Ofosu-Anim warned that wrong relationships and networks remain a major cause of failure among university students, stressing that PUG will not compromise on discipline.

Speaking during the matriculation ceremony for the 2025/2026 academic year, he explained that the university environment exposes students to freedom and diverse choices, and that the kind of friends and networks they build on campus will largely determine their success or failure.

According to him, many students lose focus and fail not because they lack ability, but because they associate with peers who negatively influence their values, discipline, and academic commitment.

Prof. Ofosu-Anim reiterated the university's commitment to producing graduates who are academically excellent, morally upright, and ready to contribute meaningfully to national development.

He said the university's motto, "Discipline in Leadership," must reflect in the conduct of all students as the institution trains future leaders for the public health sector and other fields.

The Presbyterian University, Ghana, matriculated a total of 720 postgraduate students into various faculties of the university. The ceremony was held in three phases from October 9th to 24th, 2026, at the university's Akuapem and Asante Akyem Agogo campuses.

The fresh students have been enrolled to pursue various postgraduate programmes, including MPhil and M.Ed in Educational Studies, MA Guidance and Counselling, MA International Development, MSc Environmental Health and Sanitation, MSc Natural Resources Management, MSc ICT Management, MPhil Nursing, MSc Nursing, and Master of Public Health.

Of the total, 385 students were admitted to the Master of Public Health (MPH) programme, a milestone since the programme was introduced. The Vice-Chancellor explained that the MPH programme was introduced to build human capacity in public health following the global shortage of professionals exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He urged students to use their large numbers as an opportunity for collaboration, peer support, and knowledge sharing, rather than isolation, noting that academic networking is key to success at the postgraduate level.

Prof. Ofosu-Anim further advised them to uphold hard work, integrity, and faith in God, in line with the values of a Presbyterian university.

The Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Nana Osei Akomeah Prince, disclosed that the Master of Public Health programme has trained about 600 students in the last five years.

According to him, tracer studies conducted on graduates show that most are currently serving in key areas of the health sector, including the Ministry of Health, local and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs), health directorates, and consultancy services.

He explained that the programme is designed mainly for professionals who are already working and need advanced knowledge to enhance their practice. He noted that PUG's MPH programme places a strong emphasis on practical training, equipping students with both theoretical and practical competencies that are immediately applicable at their workplaces.

He said the location of the Asante Akyem Agogo Campus, which offers the MPH programme, in a semi-rural area provides a unique advantage for students to engage directly with communities, diagnose community health problems, and design interventions to address them.

"The university and the campus are based in a semi-rural area, and it gives us the opportunity to enter into the various communities, assess them, and try to bring interventions that will help the communities. When you come here, you have all the necessary tools in terms of learning, and you carry along a lot of experience because of what we do here," he stated.

He expressed confidence that the continuous growth in enrolment for the MPH programme reflects the quality and relevance of the training being offered by the university.