“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 !!!!!!!!
“Seeing is believing” they say. Do you have an idea of what this picture is about? Can you just believe this? I heard of the story of a rich American who built his grave and furnished it very well long before his death. According to the story, he had the grave furnished with the best of everything you can imagine. Well I did not believe this so much because to me, it is only someone who has a problem “up there” will even think of this ….. but hey, a friend just told me that most times too much money with individuals can make them “incorrect up there”. To buttress his point, he told me of a man who was so poor from childhood. His parents were soooo poor .. he never had a new cloth to wear all his life …. he always had to contend with ‘pass downs’ from his elder brothers when theirs become too small for them …. and you can imagine the state it will be since the brothers also get it used. When this man at the age of 25 years made some good money from boxing, he decided that he will never wear an old set of clothing ever again ….. and true to his word, he made sure he wore a new set of clothing everyday. In fact he never wore any item of clothing more than once. NEVER !!!!!. Hmmm Some Madness !!!!. Anyway back to my story ….. The pictures below, I hear has been circulating on the web for sometime. Well I had to revise my beliefs when someone sent me these pictures. It is a reality?? Can some people really do this? Do they know what death means? Well one can never imagine what the mind can dream. Just watch the pictures below and let me know what you think.
