Promote your potentials – Veep urges tertiary institutions
The Vice President, Mr Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur on Saturday called on tertiary institutions to promote and market their capabilities to the wider society to generate more income.
He said GETFund together with the annual budgetary allocations to the educational sector was still not enough to address the numerous problems facing the sector hence the need for them to market their potential.
Mr Amissah-Arthur, who made the observation at the 10th congregation of the Cape Coast Polytechnic, said the time has come for tertiary institutions to be more proactive, business-minded and aggressive in promoting and marketing their capabilities to the public as well as the private sector to generate income.
A total of 1,233 students made up of the 2010, 2011 and 2013 batches of students graduated with Bachelor of Technology degree, Higher National Diplomas (HND) and Executive certificate in Banking.
Out of the number 116 were awarded Bachelor of Technology degrees, with 26 attaining first class honours, 1,020 received HND with 98 receiving Executive Certificates in banking operation.
The Vice President noted that many of the Polytechnics provide services like mechanical workshops that could be turned into goldmines when properly managed and commercialised to help bring in substantial revenues.
He assured Ghanaians of Government’s continued commitment to education and will ensure the fair distribution of educational resources and asked that the limited resources provided to the various institutions should be put to good use.
He reiterated calls to all stakeholders including alumni associations to play major roles as development partners by providing equipment and infrastructural needs of their alma-mater to complement Government’s effort.
The Vice President expressed delight that the first three batches of degree students who offered the Bachelor of Technology programme were graduating and called on the management of the Polytechnic to introduce more of such programmes to suit the needs of the nation’s industries.
To the graduates he urged them to eschew corrupt practices and endeavour to expose those who engage in such practices for government to mobilize more funds for national development.
Mrs Emelia Aning, Chairman of the Cape Coast Polytechnic Council, commended government for it support towards the development of Polytechnic education.
She said equipping the school’s laboratories with modern equipment was its major challenge and appealed to government to increase its funding to the polytechnics to enable them achieve its goals.
The Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr Lawrence Atepor, also commended Government for its support and asked that the number of scholarships granted each year to polytechnic staff who wish to improve their competencies be increased.
He said the Polytechnic has been able to complete four-story eight-unit block of flats to house staff whilst its clinic has been renovated and elevated to the status of a health post to provide health care services to the polytechnic community.
Dr Atepor, however, noted that the Polytechnic is facing a number of challenges particularly in the area of hostels for students as 90 per cent of it’s student population are without residential accommodation.
He said other facilities needed by the institution include a sports stadium, a computer laboratory, vehicles and an auditorium.
Source: GNA