Garden City University (GCU) has unveiled the GCU Pathways Programme, an academic enrichment scheme designed to help Senior High School (SHS) students adjust to the Ghana Education Service’s (GES) updated curriculum. The programme pairs pupils with university lecturers and provides access to specialised facilities, aiming to strengthen understanding of key subjects through practical application, critical thinking and problem‑solving.
Vice‑Chancellor Professor Eric K. Ofori said the initiative reflects GCU’s vision of becoming an entrepreneurial institution that delivers quality, inclusive tertiary education. “The GCU Pathway Programme will significantly contribute to helping students adapt to Ghana’s evolving secondary education curriculum, strengthen their academic preparation and expose them to university‑level teaching and learning,” he added.
GCU Director of Admissions Shannan Akosua Magee clarified that the programme is meant to complement, not replace, classroom teaching. “GCU’s goal is not to replace what teachers are doing in the classroom but to support them where schools tell us they need help,” she said. She highlighted the programme’s role in bringing university lecturers, laboratories and practical methods closer to students so they can see how classroom concepts link to university programmes and future careers.
Students participating in the Pathways Programme will interact with university lecturers, engage in hands‑on learning activities and tour laboratories and other teaching facilities. These experiences are expected to help them connect classroom concepts with real‑world applications and potential career pathways.
GCU has already piloted the initiative at Prempeh College, where about 138 business students benefited from supplementary instruction in accounting and business management. The university’s Business faculty led the academic support sessions.
Following the pilot, GCU plans to extend the programme to five other SHSs in the Ashanti Region, including Opoku Ware Senior High School (Health Sciences and Business), Bosomtwe STEM Girls’ Senior High School (ICT, Information Science, Python Programming), Ejisu Secondary Technical School (Business, ICT, Information Science), Kumasi Wesley Girls’ Senior High School (ICT, Information Science, Python Programming, digital skills) and Serwaa Nyarko Senior High School.
The expansion aims to broaden access to university‑based academic support and strengthen collaboration between secondary and tertiary institutions, helping schools identify and address learning gaps before they affect students’ academic progress.
As the GCU Pathways Programme rolls out, stakeholders will monitor its impact on student confidence, academic performance and readiness for tertiary education.
