Ho Polytechnic to begin Master of Technology programme

The Ho Polytechnic and two other polytechnics will from the beginning of the 2013/14 academic year start Master of Technology programmes in conjunction with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

The programme seeks to prepare Bachelor of Technology students and instructors to attain lecturership status.

Dr. J. V. K. Afun, Rector of Ho Polytechnic, announced the initiative at the 13th Congregation of the Polytechnic on Saturday.

A total of 1,079 students were awarded Bachelor of Technology in Automobile Engineering and Bachelor of Technology in Agricultural Engineering and High National Diplomas.

Dr. Afun said the programmes would be run for two to three years at the KNUST with teaching staff from that University and participating Polytechnics.

The participating Polytechnics will assume full responsibility for running the M-Tech programmes after the three years, Dr. Afun said.

“With these arrangements the Polytechnics would have produce the core of the teaching staff to run the Competency Based Technology (CBT) Programmes in the Technical Universities,” Dr. Afun explained.

Dr. Afun, who is the Chairman of Conference of Rector of Polytechnics (CORP), assured that the polytechnics were well positioned to increase their intake to absorb more of the many qualified applicants of the cohorts of Senior High School graduates.

He said the Polytechnics had, therefore, decided to delay the opening date for fresh students for the 2013/14 academic year to the first week in October.

He said the Ho Polytechnic had decided to build a 5-storey classroom block for the Faculty of Engineering from its internally generated funds to take on new programmes and anticipated expansion.

The Polytechnic has also contacted three private firms to provide student hostels on Build, Operate and Transfer basis.

He said the Polytechnic was also putting up a five-storey, 20-units, three-bedroom self-contained residential block for its staff with support from the Ghana Education Trust Fund.

Dr. Afun said the Polytechnic needed larger lecture theatres and laboratories equipped with modern facilities to be able to train skilled manpower to respond to future challenges.

He noted that the Polytechnic took delivery of a large consignment of equipment and machinery for the Mechanical Engineering Department two days ago.

“We are very grateful to government…” Dr Afun said.

He commended government for improving the salaries of staffs of polytechnics and for paying “their market premium value and single spine salaries and arrears…The other issue left now is the delay in payment of book and research allowances and conclusion of negotiations on the categories 2 and 3 allowances”.

Responding, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Minister for Education who delivered President John Mahama’s address to the congregation, explained that government was taking measure to establish a research fund with a view to improving research grants, which he described as paltry at the moment.

Source: GNA