“Center of Excellence indeed” was the sarcastic comment one student made under his breath, when a lecturer 
mentioned that GIMPA was a center of excellence in higher learning. This comment especially the “indeed” part has been coming up consistently during my five weeks stay on campus this time. The most dangerous part of it is that it seems to be
the impression of most of the participants taking programs that requires them staying on campus. One participant was so peeved that he suggested to a lecturer that he thought “it was time they thought of changing their slogan” because according to him, “GIMPA is preaching virtue but practicing vice”. The situation is worse when it’s lunch time .. especially the 2.30pm period. The tension there is almost always so thick you could cut it with a knife. But hey, what is accounting for all these? Is it true GIMPA is loosing its position as the leading tertiary institution in Ghana? I tried to find out what account for such sentiments and hey!!!! Shocks !!!!!!!!
There is no doubt about the fact that GIPMA is still rated very very high in terms of their academic program. Teaching is still seen as being of a very very high quality, with a highly motivated faculty. “As for their teaching, it is still “dge”, but I think their administrators or whatever they are called, need some management training themselves”, commented one participant. This view is shared by a number of participants here. I also wondered why some of the very things that participants complain so much about in their evaluations and other fora keep on appearing almost every day. Do they do anything about student evaluations at the end of every course? …. and what happens to the comments of students during the closing ceremonies? I wander for example why students will have to be chasing for modules 3 to 4 weeks after the program has begun, especially when the program had been planned a long time before the program begins. It stand to reason that having run such programs for more that a decade, it should be a matter of course to get things going, but this seems not to be the case. One will have to make numerous journeys to the offices before getting anything done. And how is it possible that harmonising time table for programs they have been running can become an issue? Well I don’t know … because I did not ask … but I thought some of these skills come with experience????? …. and what is the School of Technology doing about this? Dean of SoT, I think the people are getting weary with all the manual processes. Can’t you automate some of these things so that work could be smoother for them? well I agree it sometimes these manual processes become a real bother, but still, we are supposed to be “a Center of Excellence”. No Excuses Please!!!
The general view is that these are happening GIMPA is ranking the other schools higher than the GPSS .. sorry, Ghana Public Services School because they have now found a gold mine .. the Green Hill College (Business School). It is the view of
some participants that since the Business School is giving them more money, they are focusing more on that at the expense of the GPSS. Na true?
The worst part of GIMPA’s problem is the Hospitality Department. I still cannot understand how is it possible that programs are planned, scheduled and participants invited to report, they arrive at the Porter’s Lodge, only to be told that there are no rooms available. It is just unbelievable!!!! How is the coordination done? You can not imagine the plight of some of the participants who might have travelled from up country, and might have arrived late. Sometimes, the porters make the matter worse .. so unhelpful. Anyway, I see a lot of improvement at the porters now. They are now more cheerful and less prone to getting angry as they used to be. The main problem with the Hospitality however is in the kitchen. If you ask me, I will say the place needs a complete overhaul. Oh sorry, the people say I should not say that. They need a lot of training on ’service to the people‘. You just cannot imagine what happens there. Apart from the fact that the food is something …. okay let’s say “one-way”, lot of the servers are very rude to participants … no sense of service at all. and just come and see the queue for food in the afternoon. The worst part is that one will be in the queue and then you will be told the food is finished or fish is finished or something else is finished. The question is, how can the food get finished when they are aware of the total number of students / participants in school? You complain and then they give all sorts of excuses …. but my question is, what school are we talking about???? Is it not the Ghana Institute of MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION? What has happened to the “MANAGEMENT” in GIMPA???? By the way, are they doing the students a favour by giving them food?
Can the Rector please take a look at the kitchen? …………………….. and for your information, Mr. Rector, the abuskeleke is gradually creeping into your school.
Cheers !!!!!!!!
