Graduating students of British Columbia College encouraged to prioritise AI
The British Columbia College, Ghana, has held its ninth Graduation and Awards Ceremony, with a call on stakeholders to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a cornerstone in the 21st century education.
Held on the theme: "Navigating the AI Revolution: Preparing Graduates for a Changing World," the ceremony saw the graduates being presented with certificates while the deserving students were also presented with special prizes.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Samara Group of Companies, Prof. Sampson Effah Apreku, chaired the function.
Speaking on the theme, the Guest Speaker and Country Director of the British Council, Nii Dodoo Doodo, urged the graduates to prioritise AI as a game-changer.
"Let artificial intelligence be your partner, not your rival. Use it to elevate your ideas, your empathy and your ability to make a meaningful difference," Mr Doodo said in a speech read on his behalf by the Director of Programmes, Richard Kwesi Shiangbor.
Special qualities
The Principal of British Columbia College, Ghana, Cecil Mends, highlighted the essential qualities of confidence, courage and motivation the college had imbibed in the graduands, and urged them to leverage them to stand out as they pursued higher learning to fix societal challenges.
"Today, your goal may be to get the best college education you can. Tomorrow, it may be career advancement or even devoting your talents to giving back to society through service. Nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it," Mr Mends said.
Valedictorian
An international student from Sierra Leone, Mastin Tamba Saah, became the Valedictorian for the 2025 Graduating Class of British Columbia College, Ghana, and won a $40,000 Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) scholarship to pursue Business Administration at Brock University, Canada.
"This is not only a day of celebration for us, the graduating class, but also a tribute to the unwavering support of our teachers, mentors and parents. Your sacrifices, encouragement and patience have made this day possible, and for that, we are forever grateful.”
“As we sit together tonight, we are not simply closing a chapter; we are stepping boldly into a new season, a future rich with possibilities and purpose,” the 17-year-old Valedictorian said.
He encouraged his classmates to carry the lessons learnt, the values instilled in them, and the resilience they have all built into the next phase of their lives.
“Though our paths may now diverge, the bond we share as one big BCC family will remain strong and unbroken.”
“Let this not be a goodbye, but a hello to the future — a future we are ready to embrace with open minds and bold hearts," he told the graduating class.
On behalf of the class, Saah also expressed their appreciation to their tutors, mentors and parents whose efforts helped them to successfully complete this phase of their academic lives.
“To our teachers and mentors: Thank you for believing in us — even when we doubted ourselves.
You challenged us to grow, to think and to dream beyond limits. Your impact goes far beyond the classroom, and your guidance has lit the way towards our future.”
“To our parents and guardians: Your love and constant support have been the foundation of our journey.
Every word of encouragement, every sacrifice — seen and unseen — has helped us reach this moment.
We honour you today,” the valedictorian further remarked.
