UniMAC Dean Urges Freshers to Build Personal Brands Amid National Dialogue on Improving Reading Comprehension

The University of Media, Arts, and Communication (UniMAC) recently welcomed its 2026/2027 academic cohort, marking the beginning of a journey focused on professional excellence and holistic development. During the Freshers’ Orientation held on September 22, university leadership emphasized the importance of preparing for the modern job market through both social capital and academic rigor. This call to action comes at a time when Ghanaian educators are also highlighting the need for fundamental shifts in literacy habits, advocating for a move away from rote speed toward deeper comprehension to ensure long-term academic success.

Addressing the new students, Dr. Ike Tandoh, the Dean of Students at UniMAC, delivered a compelling charge on the necessity of personal branding and strategic networking. He encouraged freshers to be intentional about their public image and the relationships they cultivate, noting that meaningful connections often serve as the key to future professional opportunities. The orientation, which featured Vice Chancellor Professor Eric Opoku Mensah and other senior officials, was designed to integrate students into the university’s culture of excellence, urging them to look beyond the classroom to build a reputable personal identity.

While personal branding is essential for career entry, educators are simultaneously warning that the foundation of professional competence—reading comprehension—requires renewed attention. Faith Aku Dzakpasu, Ghana’s 2023 Most Outstanding Teacher, has raised concerns regarding the trend of "hasty reading" among Ghanaian learners. She argues that reading has mistakenly become a race for speed rather than a quest for understanding. Dzakpasu suggests that students must be taught to adjust their reading pace based on the complexity of the text, utilizing strategies such as "chunking" complex passages and inferring vocabulary meanings from context rather than skimming over difficult words.

To bridge the gap between simple literacy and deep analytical skills, there is an urgent call for specialized teacher training in these comprehension techniques. By focusing on understanding rather than mere completion, students are better equipped to handle the rigorous academic demands of institutions like UniMAC. Ultimately, the synthesis of strong personal networks, as advocated by Dr. Tandoh, and the cognitive discipline of deep reading, as championed by Dzakpasu, provides a comprehensive roadmap for the next generation of Ghanaian professionals to thrive in an increasingly competitive global landscape.