Nana Addo Lacks Understanding Of Poly Conversion Process - Ablakwa

The deputy Minister of Education, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has slammed the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo saying the opposition leader lacks understanding of the process being used to convert Polytechnics into Technical Universities.

Akufo-Addo during a tour of the Central region said the current situation where the Cape Coast, Wa, Bolgatanga and Tamale polytechnics are yet to be converted into technical universities is not the way to go, adding that these institutions have been left destabilized by the move.

Earlier this year students and lecturers of the Cape Coast Polytechnic demonstrated over their exclusion from the list of six polytechnics to be transformed into technical universities.

This resulted in the disruption of academic activities on the campuses of these polytechnics, notably in the Cape Coast polytechnic.

However, in the opinion of Nana Akufo-Addo, like so many things in the Mahama-led administration, the implementation of this policy is fraught with a lot of dangers, stressing that this is not a fair approach to education in Ghana.

But during a town hall meeting in Cape-Coast in the Central region on Monday, Hon. Ablakwa said Nana Addo’s comment is a clear indication that he lacks understanding of the process being used for the conversion.

According to Ablakwa, government was guided by best practices as it wanted to meet international standards so that certificates from Ghanaian technical universities wouldn't be worthless.

“This is education and it cannot be subjected to quick votes and so if someone says that as for me I would carry out massive infrastructural development and convert all the ten polytechnics at the same time, it is clear that the person does not understand the conversion process.

“It is not just an issue of infrastructure...it is not an issue of we want quick votes because it is a popular policy, when you just engage in a mere nomenclature change you will be exposed, nobody would take your conversion process serious and you will not guarantee the future of your children…so this is a serious process that must not be reduced to quick vote,” Ablakwa said.