FHASHEE-UEW Launches Strategic Commercial Sales Centre to Drive Student Entrepreneurship
The Faculty of Health, Allied Sciences and Home Economics Education (FHASHEE) at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) has taken a significant step to align academic training with the University’s strategic vision of fostering self-reliance by commissioning a Commercial Sales Centre.
The occasion, which took place at the SEMSA Club House on Wednesday, 11th March, 2026, marks a milestone in the faculty's history, transitioning from purely classroom-based instruction to a robust, commercialised model of vocational excellence.
Prof. Fred Yao Gbagbo, the Dean of FHASHEE, expressed profound joy at the materialisation of what he described as a long-held "dream" for both staff and students. According to him, the Centre is not merely a retail outlet but a strategic platform to showcase the creative capacities of the faculty while embedding the spirit of entrepreneurship into the academic experience.
“This is an opportunity for us to showcase what we have and commercialise it in the spirit of entrepreneurship which is also part of the strategic vision of this University," Prof. Gbagbo stated, inviting the university community to invest in the student-led innovations on display.
Representing the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Frimpong Kaakyire Duku, the Principal of the College for Distance and e-Learning (CODeL), emphasised the distinction between traditional trading and modern entrepreneurship. He noted that while a businessperson might manage a handed-down store, an entrepreneur starts with a simple "table" and uses creativity to build an empire.
Prof. Duku, himself a former student and a practising teacher, urged students to recognise that their training as educators does not limit them to the classroom. "You came here to be trained as teachers but may end up not being in the classroom if you so choose," he remarked, highlighting that the skills acquired at the faculty allow for immediate commercialisation and value addition.
He further challenged the faculty to move beyond short-term successes by securing a permanent, enclosed space to protect and sustain the Centre's commercial activities.
Ms. Patience Darko, a lecturer at the Department of Food and Nutrition Education and the dignitaries officially opened the Centre with a ribbon-cutting before leading dignitaries on an extensive tour of the exhibition booths.
The exhibition featured a diverse array of products from four key departments. Integrated Home Economics Education displayed batik tie-dye fabrics, floral arrangements and recycled "bottle troughs" designed for environmental sustainability. Clothing and Textiles Education showcased high-quality UEW-branded shirts, laptop bags, beaded slippers and specialised bridal fans.
Food and Nutrition Education focused on "nutritionally sound" products including beetroot and melon juices, special "mash kenkey," granola spreads mixed with honey and packaged fruits, all designed to promote health over profit.
Family Life Management Education presented student-made home essentials including fibre-filled pillows, Kente-patterned placemats, bed linens and various detergents such as liquid soaps and bleaches.
The Commercial Sales Centre will officially operate twice a week, on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The facility is also open to taking bulk orders for special occasions such as birthdays, providing a direct link between student production and the wider market to combat unemployment through practical skill application.
