Discipled to Disciple Others: Success Story of a Graduate Supervisor in Ghana

Abstract

Burgeoning literature on the task of a faculty supervisor in postgraduate education is daunting given the numerous roles they are required to play. The core duty of a supervisor is to guide, arouse students’ skills, help them develop their creative scholarly potential. The purpose of this case investigation was to find out how a faculty member, Prof. Bawa by bracing all the odds, are able to still supervise and successfully mentor a lot of graduate students in a public university context. The study found that students perceived Prof. Bawa in a positive light with a majority stating that he promotes conditions beneficial to students’ research intellectual growth and provide apt leadership in the process. He was also found to be able to balance his numerous job schedules through incorporation of the supervision duty into his itinerary for the year. Among the qualities include humility, affable, hardworking, principled, tolerant, and kind. He personally conceives effective supervision as one in which both supervisor and supervisees are able to iron out their differences to ensure completion of the process within the stipulated time. Supervisors have to learn to try and provide the best they can to help students achieve their aims. Similarly, students must submit to supervisors, their guidance, and tutelage to minimise the usual conflicts that arise between supervisors and supervisees. The study lauds pragmatic supervisor initiatives that promote student hard work. It equally advocates for tolerant conditions for graduate students as this engenders intellectual growth and capacity.