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President John Dramani Mahama on Monday performed the symbolic launching of the conversion of polytechnics into technical universities at the Takoradi Polytechnic with the assurance that Government would continue prioritising technical and vocational education.

He indicated that technical universities would form an integral part in transforming the socio-economic fortunes of the country, saying the country could be transformed with the skills and knowledge of its human resources.

He stated that the demand of the job market today, especially by businesses and industries, required technical and skilled personnel, and no longer the book-long and grammar type of education.

President Mahama observed that the economic strength of a country is inextricably linked to the skills and competences of its workforce for optimum development which were in abundant supply in technical universities.

“Ghana’s load record of having contributed to the world’s academicians, scientists, mathematicians and other technocrats, it is therefore paramount to lay a desired solid foundation that would produce the technical, creative and analytical problem-solving human resource-base that would carry the country further to its onward match to progress and prosperity,” he stressed.

He said it was a historic and momentous occasion in the life of polytechnic education since it marked the moment of progressive evolution in technical education in the country.

The President said although technical and vocational education had been an important part in the socio-economic development of the country, however, the huge potential it represented as a vehicle for enhancing socio-economic transformation had not been fully exploited.

He announced that the Technical Universities Bill had been finalized by the Attorney General’s Department and currently under consideration by the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) and would go to Cabinet before being presented to Parliament when it resume later this month.

He expressed the hope that the bill would be passed into law to enable six polytechnics in the country become fully-fledged technical universities.

He however, said the conversion of polytechnics into technical universities would not be a wholesale exercise but based on vigorous assessment procedure and, therefore, named Takoradi, Kumasi, Koforidua, Sunyani, Ho and Accra polytechnics as those that met the selection criteria for the first phase.

He said Tamale and Cape Coast polytechnics had requested for re-assessment of their status therefore re-assessment would be conducted by the Assessment Technical Committee of the NCTE between April 5 and 8.

He said the polytechnics that did not meet the conversion criteria would undergo fast-track infrastructure development to benefit from the exercise.

The President said they would benefit from workshops, lecture theatres and laboratories while their faculties would be given scholarships to upgrade themselves in order to enable them to be ready for conversion.

He said the government had made critical interventions in tackling unimpressive performances of students in Science and Mathematics, especially at the basic education level, by strengthening Science and Mathematics learning.

So far, the Ministry of Education had recruited 1,500 Science and Mathematics teachers across the country, to prepare young students at the basic level to enter into technical universities.

The President added that the Education Ministry had also taken delivery of laboratory equipment and had begun distribution to the various second cycle educational institutions, to enhance the teaching of Science and Mathematics.

He said last month, he cuts the sod for the commencement of work on construction of modern infrastructure in 10 technical institutes, two polytechnics and one university under the Development of Skills and Industry project (DSIP), which was being conducted by the Council for Technical and Vocational Education Training (COTVET).

The initiative was a $120 million dollar project being supported by the African Development Bank (ADB) aimed at upgrading educational infrastructure as part of efforts to improve quality of education in technical and vocational training in the country.

He said there were many other interventions ongoing at the various polytechnics including, an eight-storey ICT library complex at the Accra Polytechnic, in addition to four engineering blocks each containing workshops, laboratories, classrooms, lecture theatres and offices.

At the Tamale Polytechnic, he said, engineering block had been furnished with 500 sets of furniture for the machine shop while a three-storey lecture hall had been completed at the Sunyani Polytechnic.

Moreover, construction of a five-storey block at the School of Engineering at the Koforidua Polytechnic had been completed with the installation of a new mechanical engineering equipment at the engineering laboratory, while construction of a four-storey students’ hostel was currently ongoing at the Bolgatanga Polytechnic.

President Mahama said the Ministry of Education had concluded negotiations with the Amatrol of the United States, to support the Tamale, Cape Coast, Bolgatanga and Wa polytechnics, to install new engineering equipment in order to help them meet the conversion criteria.

The President said Kumasi and Takoradi polytechnics benefited from the first phase of Amatrol of USA support and expressed his satisfaction with the engineering workshops and laboratories at the Takoradi Polytechnic when he toured the facilities, describing them as first class facilities comparable to any workshop in any part of the world.

The third phase of Amatrol support would cover polytechnics in Cape Coast, Bolgatanga and Wa respectively.

President Mahama noted that the NCTE had increased allocations for Bolgatanga and Wa polytechnics to support their conversion challenges.

He said the commitment to achieve quality education as a vehicle for socio-economic transformation could be realised with the support of all stakeholders to achieve excellence at all levels of education.

He expressed his appreciation to all stakeholders for making the conversion of polytechnics into technical universities initiative a reality.

A Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Tertiary Education, Mr. Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa said, over the last four years, the government had injected more than 200 million dollars into technical education in the country.

He said the support comprised special allocations into conversion of polytechnics into technical universities, the Development of Skills for Industry project worth 124 million dollars, allocation into the Skills Development Fund and many other initiatives aimed at improving the quality of technical and vocation education in the country.

Earlier in an address, Reverend Professor John Frank Eshun, the Rector of Takoradi Polytechnic, thanked President Mahama for choosing the Polytechnic for the symbolic launching of the conversion of polytechnics into technical universities.

He said the government at all levels of education, had made significant contributions, both symbolic and practical to the institution which demonstrated the commitment towards enhancing technical and vocational education in the country.

The Rector mentioned the Jubilee Technical Centre providing training in oil and gas, provision of ultra-modern laboratories, library, ICT , as well as lecture theatre complex, accommodation blocks for staff and many other basic educational infrastructure as some of the contributions

He, however, appealed to the government to support the institution with campus roads, fencing of Polytechnic lands, as well as provision of additional lecture theatres, equipment for training in engineering studies and hostels for students.

Rev. Prof. Eshun expressed the belief that the new status of the Polytechnic would challenge students and lecturers, to step up the pace of pursuing the core mission and vision of technical institutions in the country.

He, therefore, called for a new articulation in both mind and character from students, lecturers and managements of polytechnics, geared towards the realization of technical education objectives.

The ceremony was witnessed by other Ministers of State, Members of Parliament, Rectors from other polytechnics, Head of Departments, lecturers, traditional rulers, students and the general public.