Polytechnics now technical varsities
Ghana's technical education received a boost last Monday with the take-off of the conversion of polytechnics into technical universities.
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The take-off begins in the 2016/2017 academic year with six institutions that passed the conversion criteria.
They are the Takoradi, Kumasi, Accra, Ho, Koforidua and Sunyani polytechnics.
The Cape Coast and Tamale polytechnics have called for a reassessment of their readiness and a team of experts visited the Cape Coast Polytechnic yesterday and will be in the Tamale Polytechnic on April 8.
The conversion means the technical universities will admit students to pursue the Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech) programmes initially.
President John Dramani Mahama, who performed the launch in Takoradi, said the polytechnics that would not be immediately converted would receive fast-track infrastructure and faculty development to make them ready for conversion in no time.
Excitement
The Great Hall of the Takoradi Polytechnic where the historic ceremony took place was one of excitement.
Every inch of space was occupied, as students and lecturers wanted to be part of the new birth of their institutions.
"This calls for excitement and I empathise with the spirit I see here," President Mahama said to deafening cheers from the gathering.
"Today begins the journey of the dream that we've been walking over the past years," he added.
He expressed the hope that the lives of the new institutions would be transformed positively in the years ahead.
"For the Takoradi Polytechnic and the other polytechnics, the journey of progressive evolution begins today," he said.
Industry needs
Emphasising the importance of technical and vocational education, the President said that was what industry needed today.
"The demands of the job market have changed. Business and industry are no longer looking for the book-long grammar school education," he said.
He stated that the job market was looking for skills and competency and that was why the government was investing heavily in technical and vocational training.
Transparency
The Chairman of the Conference of Polytechnic Rectors, Dr Mba Atinga, said the process of the conversion had been transparent, as the rectors had been fully involved.
He said the conversion would deepen the career-focused approach of the polytechnics to education.
He said the conference was happy that no polytechnic would be left out once it met the conversion criteria.
A Deputy Minister of Education, Mr Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa, said the future of Ghana's technical education looked brighter than ever before.