Zenith Bank (Ghana) Limited has taken a groundbreaking step in bridging the gap between theoretical and practical learning for tertiary students pursuing studies in Banking and Finance.
The bank has established the first-ever Banking Clinic at the Kumasi Technical University (KsTU) in the Ashanti Region. This initiative aims to provide students with hands-on experience in banking operations, preparing them for the realities of the industry.
The state-of-the-art facility has been designed as a Banking Simulation and Training Centre, replicating a standard Zenith Bank branch. It is equipped with all essential departments and features found in a real banking environment, including customer service and funds transfer desks, teller points, and an operations hub.
Additionally, the facility includes offices for a branch manager and relationship manager, money counting machines, computers, and an electronic safe to simulate a vault. Other notable features include a flat-screen TV for projecting treasury rates and advertisements on Zenith Bank’s products and services, as well as regulatory compliance displays such as the Ghana Deposit Protection Corporation membership certificate and fire certificate.
At the handover ceremony, Mr. George Imbrah, Divisional Head of Zenith Bank Ghana, representing the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Henry Onwuzurigbo, emphasized the importance of this initiative in addressing the challenges students face when transitioning from academia to the professional world.
“This initiative significantly reduces the steepness of the transition into the banking industry. Moving directly from the university into the banking field can be challenging as classroom learning differs from real-world practice. As a bank, our goal is to bridge that gap.”
Mr. George Imbrah
He further elaborated that the simulated banking hall will allow students to gain invaluable exposure to digital technology and modern banking trends, equipping them with the necessary skills before they graduate.
“This simulated banking hall is expected to help students gain practical experience through simulation, exposure to digital technology, and insights into current trends in the banking industry. By the time these students graduate, they would have gained a solid understanding of banking operations.”
Mr. George Imbrah
Beyond its role in student training, Mr. Imbrah assured KsTU’s leadership of Zenith Bank’s commitment to nurturing young minds and supporting the university in achieving its educational objectives.
A University Committed to Practical Training
The establishment of the Banking Clinic aligns with KsTU’s mission of providing practical, competency-based education. Professor Abdul-Aziz Iddrisu, Dean of the Business School at KsTU, who played a pivotal role in engaging Zenith Bank to initiate the project, emphasized the university’s commitment to practical training for its students.
“Many of us come from the banking sector, and we brought in colleagues from the industry to train our students using real-world models. Eventually, we realized the need for a dedicated center that would serve as a one-stop shop for everything students need to know about banking. This led us to approach Zenith Bank Ghana through our Vice Chancellor, and today, we are proud to be opening this facility.”
Professor Abdul-Aziz Iddrisu
He also noted that the Banking Clinic would not be limited to KsTU students but would also serve as a training hub for staff from lower-tier financial institutions, further extending its impact on Ghana’s financial sector.
Professor Gabriel Dwomoh, the Vice-Chancellor of KsTU, expressed profound gratitude to Zenith Bank for spearheading this project, which prioritizes the practical needs of students.
“As a technical university, we are committed to a Competency-Based Training curriculum, and to deliver this effectively, we need the full complement of practical facilities to augment theoretical knowledge. This includes laboratories, workshops, and other practical resources such as the Zenith Bank-KsTU Banking Clinic.”
Professor Gabriel Dwomoh
He emphasized that technical universities should not be limited to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs but should also integrate practical elements into business-related disciplines.
“For the humanities and business disciplines, there is often a gap between theory and practice. This Banking Clinic is a significant step towards bridging that gap. We are therefore grateful to Zenith Bank for bringing real banking operations to the doorstep of our students. They can now practice banking operations here, which will prepare them to meet industry standards upon graduation.”
Professor Gabriel Dwomoh
A Commitment to Industry-Ready Graduates
Professor Dwomoh highlighted that the establishment of the Banking Clinic is a testament to Zenith Bank’s commitment to the environment in which it operates. He stressed that the initiative will produce graduates equipped with the necessary competence to excel in the banking industry, benefiting the financial sector as a whole.
“This initiative shows that Zenith Bank is dedicated to producing graduates with the requisite competence to excel in the industry. This will benefit the industry as a whole, and we hope other institutions will take an interest in the training that takes place here.”
Professor Gabriel Dwomoh
Prof. Dwomoh concluded that the Zenith Bank-KsTU Banking Clinic represents the power of collaboration between academia and industry. This partnership serves as a model for other financial institutions and universities seeking to enhance practical learning experiences for students.
