Entice students into science, TVET— Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah

The Vice-Chancellor of the Sunyani Technical University (STU), Professor Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah, has called for a policy that will provide incentives to entice students at the senior high school level to develop interest in the sciences and technical and vocational education training (TVET).

That, according to him, would enable them to qualify for engineering and technology programmes at the tertiary level and increase the number of students who study science and technology programmes in tertiary educational institutions across the country.

Speaking at the 25th Matriculation of the university, which was held virtually in Sunyani last Friday, Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah suggested that the government could equally consider giving incentives to Engineering and TVET students at the tertiary level to entice more of the youth to enter into Engineering, Science, Technology and TVET programmes now available at the technical universities.

“It is only these programmes that have the potential to resolve the protracted high levels of graduate unemployment in the country,” he stated.

Enrolment

The university admitted and issued letters to a total of 5,054 prospective students out of which 2,695, representing 53.3 per cent, responded and were admitted for the 2020/21 Academic year.

Enrolment per type of programme indicates that Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation (STEI) programmes recorded a total of 1,969 students, constituting 73.1 per cent, as compared with 726 students for the rest of the programmes, representing 26.9 per cent of the overall enrolment.

New programme

On the introduction of new programmes, Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah said STU had introduced a number of four-year B-Tech programmes while plans were far advanced to introduce many more Master’s of Technology (M-Tech) programmes in the near future.

Currently, the B-Tech programmes being run by the university include Bachelor of Technology (Electrical and Electronics Engineering); Bachelor of Technology, Mechanical Engineering (Automobile, Plant, Production) and Bachelor of Technology, Civil Engineering.

The rest are Bachelor of Technology, Construction Technology; Bachelor of Technology, Fashion Design; Bachelor of Technology, Hospitality and Tourism Management and Bachelor of Technology, Agriculture.

Law-abiding

Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah charged the matriculants, who took their matriculation oaths via the university’s social media platforms, to be disciplined and law-abiding.

“You are here to be trained not only in academic work but to help you form a decent character that will make you responsible citizens to contribute positively to Ghana’s development”, he stated.

He, therefore, advised them to avoid negative deeds such as breaking laid-down rules and regulations and indulging in alcoholism, betting and promiscuity, which might land them in trouble.