Sunyani Poly to introduce more academic programmes

Sunyani, Nov. 13, GNA – The Rector of Sunyani Polytechnic, at the weekend said the school would continue to focus on the expansion of academic programmes as part of its mandate to train students for the country’s industrial transformation.

Professor Kwasi T. Djang-Fordjour said the intervention would include the Higher National Diploma courses as well as the introduction of Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) programmes.

He was speaking at the institution’s 16th matriculation ceremony of the polytechnic, which was established in 1997 to provide career focused education at the tertiary level with emphasis on hands-on experience and entrepreneurship development.

Professor Djang-Fordjour noted that the polytechnic had grown from strength to strength with the addition of three more schools comprising School of Applied Science and Technology, School of Business and Management Studies and School of Engineering.

Accreditation, he added, is being sought for some of the Bachelor of Technology programmes as well as Higher National Diploma courses in line with the polytechnic’s focus and mission.

Currently, the polytechnic runs 13 full time tertiary programmes including one Bachelor of Technology, seven Higher National Diploma and five technician programmes.

Prof Djang-Fordjour said, the “the polytechnic admits students into eight professional programmes at the tertiary level and 26 technician and craft courses”.

He said the first and second batches of B.Tech students made up of post higher national diploma graduates students who were admitted in March and October 2008, had completed their programmes with very impressive performance.

He stated that this year the polytechnic admitted 2,504 applicants out of which 1,142 are tertiary students whilst 1,902 are non-tertiary.

“Out of the total number admitted 843 are females, the greatest number of female students since the polytechnic was upgraded in 1997,” the Rector noted.

Prof Djang-Fordjour urged the students to be disciplined and time conscious, stressing “there is the need for stakeholders in education including the government to work together to enforce discipline in the society since the nation can’t develop and catch up with the rest of the world without discipline”.