<![CDATA[Since its establishment in 1978, the National Film And Television Institute (NAFTI) has trained film and television professionals for the Ghanaian audio-visual industry. Each year, final year students of the institute graduate after four long years of training in a variety of programmes ranging from Film and Television Production and Directing to Cinematography.
At the 2013 NAFTI students’ graduation ceremony, which took place on Saturday 13th April, thirty (30) students of the institute were awarded the Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in their various areas of specialization. The graduation ceremony which was held at the forecourt of the institute at East Cantonment had in attendance the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana Professor Ernest Aryeetey, the NAFTI Board Chairman Professor Kofi Anyidoho, Members of the NAFTI Governing Board, the veteran Ghanaian Cinematographer Rev. Chris Hesse, the renowned Ghanaian filmmaker and Chief Executive of TV Africa Mr. Kwaw Ansah, the CEO of rlg Ghana Mr. Roland Agambire and several distinguished individuals from the film and television industry.
In his speech at the 2013 NAFTI graduation ceremony, the Rector of NAFTI Professor Linus Abraham disclosed that it was refreshing that the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana was participating in the ceremony. He said “As the Head of our affiliated mother institution, your presence is a demonstration of your interest in ensuring that the institution you are supervising grows to maturity in the right direction. We have been under the University of Ghana for thirteen years and we know you are eager to wean us off, as demonstration of the good work you have done in supervising us”. He continued by congratulating the University of Ghana for its great efforts and leadership and said the re-organisation work going on at the university had inspired NAFTI to aspire to be an institute of excellence.
The Rector also hinted that several efforts had been made to strategically turn NAFTI into a Media Arts University with the view of providing a modern and dynamic training environment to support the growth and facilitation of the Creative and Media Arts industry in the country. He further revealed that the Media Arts University would provide training at the Undergraduate and Graduate levels in Film, Graphic Design, Photography, Animation, Video, Multi-Media Production, Broadcast Journalism, Radio and Television Production, Music Recording and Production, Strategic Communications and Entertainment Business Management amongst others. Professor Linus Abraham concluded by congratulating the graduands on their achievement. He said “You have climbed a very important ladder in your path towards your professional development as film and television practitioners. Go out there and work with the same zeal you worked in achieving your degree”.
For his part, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana said the institute had been performing creditably well under the University of Ghana’s supervision and that NAFTI over time had acquired the necessary experience. He added that it was great news that the committee that was formed by the Ministry of Information to chart the future growth of the institute had recommended the upgrade of NAFTI into a Media Arts University.
In conclusion, the Vice Chancellor admonished the graduands “the University of Ghana expects you to be its good ambassadors in whichever field of endeavour you may find yourselves. Exhibit academic and professional brilliance, coupled with demonstration of moral discipline worthy of a graduate of NAFTI. We look forward to good films from you in the future, to help shape the identities of Ghana in positive directions. Do not let mother Ghana down wherever you may be, and God bless you”.
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The National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) has launched a new program called the Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning in higher education.
The Course is for lecturers and all other instructors in institutions of higher education.
Professor Linus Abraham, Rector of NAFTI said the educational field had become very competitive with several other inlets of knowledge.
He stated that students in present times, through access to facilities such as the internet and other mediums of mass communication, are different from those of earlier years.
“It is therefore important to be well equipped as lecturers and instructors in order to be on top of your job and also prove your relevance in the present age.”
Dr Kwame Asante, Director of the Institute for Educational Development and extension, said recent developments in institutions of higher education – such as lecturers having to handle much larger student populations, and the increase in the number of non-traditional students enrolling – has made it a lot more challenging to teach students of higher institutions.
The course, he added, was meant to help contain the challenges of such developments.
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