The Pentecost University has launched the Bachelor of law programme as part of its vision to develop and expand existing faculties and departments.
Professor Kwabena Agyapong-Kodua, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, speaking at the launch of the new programme, said the new model of legal education would be underpinned by the fear of God and academic excellence.
“When you separate the two, you will practise law to please people, but we are looking forward to a generation of lawyers who will practise law for the law-giver, God. That is also why our approach to law is reflective of the law-giver, who is God Himself,” he said on Wednesday.
The Vice-Chancellor said the University trained students through Christian mentorship programmes, assembly sessions, devotions and other spiritual activities which suitably balance their academic development.
“We believe these are the people who truly become the voice of the rejected and link humankind to their maker. We believe that virtues without regard for the source of virtues breed subjectivity which intends diminish the essence of the source.”
He said in an era where opinions vary greatly on issues, there was the need to have a baseline for decisions; one which had been tested and survived many challenges, adding that their collaboration with stakeholders and corporate bodies and associations projected our research-based learning method.
“We want to be involved in the solutions to the problems of our country. Our teaching and seminars will deal with real cases and experts in the field will engage with our students.”
“We will in turn host national debates; subject policies to critical analysis and become the home for healthy discussions and legal reflections,” he said.
He said the University’s collaborative approach to teaching would bring in other disciplines such as Theology, Science, Business and broader humanities so that the law graduates would be useful citizens with an enriched understanding of life.
“Being a mission’s institution belonging to the Church of Pentecost, we see the law as a key component of life for the proper functioning of the society, businesses, and governance,” he said.
Apostle Opoku Onyina, former Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, expressed the hope that the students, who graduate from the programme, would bring a difference in people’s perception of Law.
This, he said, was necessary because when the students were trained to have integrity with Christian principles, they needed to excel in whatever they do and uphold professionalism in their work.
