Bawku Technical Institute to be upgraded

Bawku(UER), June 17, GNA - Bawku Technical Institute (BAWTECH) has been selected among the first batch of 20 technical institutions to be upgraded into a model institute to provide first class technical and vocational education in the country.

Alhaji Ahmed Awudu Yirimeah, Deputy Upper East Regional Minister announced this at the launching of its 40th anniversary celebrations at Bawku.

He said the upgrading was in line with the new educational reforms policy that placed emphasis on technical and vocational education to ensure graduates were self-employed oriented and to reduce unemployment. Alhaji Yirimeah said Government's vision was to incorporate education to national aspirations to develop disciplined, socially conscious and well-educated graduates who could compete with their counterparts worldwide.

He noted that it was time polytechnics and technical institutes provided the link between them and their communities to solve practical challenges within the communities. "The extend to which our educational institutions have more or less ascribed to this national vision should be the standard measure for success stories and also set the tone for development," he added. Alhaji Yirimeah pointed out that Government was aware that Ghana's accelerated socio-economic development depended on the training of technicians and would enhance the development of polytechnic and technical education.

He said this led to the enactment of the Council for Technical and Vocational Training (COVET) Act and the Polytechnic Act to ensure the desired autonomy of technical institutions to be centres of knowledge for industrial development.

Alhaji Yirimeah urged the students to use the celebrations as an opportunity to be well focused on best practices to achieve excellence in their chosen fields.

Madam Elizabeth Ayire Mwinkaar, Upper East Regional Director of Education, appealed to authorities of technical institutions to brainstorm and come out with concrete ideas and suggestions that would help Government and Ghana Education Service Council to improve technical and vocational education.

She noted that in spite of the challenges confronting technical and vocational education, the institutions had held the forte and contributed to the nation's progress in the training of artisans. Madam Mwinkaar said some of the challenges were, lack of a national framework to guide the implementation of technical and vocational education and training, lack of training equipment, teaching and learning, theoretical curriculum and weak linkages between technical institutes and industry.

Mr Abdul-Rahman Gumah, Bawku Municipal Chief Executive, observed that encroachment on lands for educational institutions were hampering their expansion and development.

He appealed to land owners to reconsider their actions and stay off such lands to allow government to provide the needed assistance for development to benefit society. "An avenue to support educational institutions is to provide lands for expansion and not to litigate with the authorities over land," he added.

Mr Alhassan Umar, Principal of BAWTECH, said it was the first to be established in 1967 by the Roman Catholic Mission in the then Upper Region as a private institution to train boys in motor vehicle mechanics.

He said it was absorbed into the public educational system in 1973 and currently run eight programmes for 730 students made up of 622 boys and 108 girls.

Mr Umar said the institute had not witnessed students' riots or demonstration and commended the Board of Governors, Municipal Education Directorate and the Security Council for their assistance to solve all problems confronting the institute.

However, he appealed to the directorate, assembly and other organizations for assistance to rehabilitate the boys' dormitory.