Wa Polytechnic holds third congregation

Professor Godwin Aflakpui, Rector of the Wa Polytechnic has appealed to the government to support the Polytechnic with funds for the completion of the hall of residence which was under construction.

He said the Polytechnic also need tools, furniture, books and an e-library facility to enable the workshops and the library to make available the full complement of the services they had been designed to provide.

He made the appeal during the schools third congregation on Saturday, where 599 graduates were conferred with the Higher National Diploma (HND) after completing their programmes.

They were made up of 273 graduates who completed their programmes in 2011 and 326 in 2012.

A break down of their academic performance showed that 4.6 per cent of the 2011 graduates obtained first class while 6.9 per cent had first class in 2012.

Out of the 2011 number, 59.4 per cent pursued programmes in business, 10.6 per cent studied engineering courses and 30 per cent studied programmes in applied science and technology.

In 2012, those who graduated in business dropped to 55.5 per cent; engineering also fell to 9.2 per cent while applied science rose to 35.3 per cent.

Professor Duweja Mahama, Executive Secretary of the NCTE noted that most of the Polytechnics were undertaking Bachelor in Building Technology (BBT) programmes and cautioned the Polytechnics not to see the degree awarding programmes as their status symbols.

He urged them to remain focused on their core mandate which has been to train the necessary technical manpower for the development of the nation.

He said acquiring a degree or certificate was not a guarantee for success after school hence the need for hard work, dedication, passion, commitment and focus; if the graduates were to succeed in life after school.

Professor Jacob Songsore, Chairman of the Polytechnic Council appealed to the government to give priority in the release of funds to the new Polytechnics like the Wa Polytechnic to enable them to close the gap between them and the old ones.

He noted that the Wa Polytechnic was the only polytechnic in the country without a single hall of residence for students.