Four Polytechnics to run Degree Programme – A Rejoinder.

The call by the President of the Ghana National Union of Polytechnics, Kwodwo Adjei for the government to expedite action on the proposals to enable our Polytechnics to start awarding degrees is long overdue. To take this further, this writer believes the four Polytechnics should be up graded to Universities to ease the pressure on our 5 leading Universities (University of Ghana, Legon, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, University of Cape Coast, University for Development Studies, Tamale and University College of Education, Winneba).

The case for Takoradi Polytechnic (T – Poly) is even more pressing since the twin city of Sekondi-Takoradi is such a strategic city in terms of its location. The twin city would benefit tremendously if its Polytechnic is upgraded. As the nation places herself as the gateway for the whole West African sub-Region it is imperative that higher seats of learning are upgraded and fully resourced so that they can take advantage of the large number of entries that in part will contribute towards the nation building.

Kwodwo was right when he stated that by putting the necessary infrastructure in place the 4 Polytechnics would bring relief to over 48,000 students with HND and the current 21,000 already in the system. The essence of Kwodwo's argument is quiet simple. Before we embark on our planned take off, we would need artisans, agriculturalists, commercial farmers, and various engineering graduates including skill medical personal and teachers/lecturers. In the field of medicine and education we have very good establish institutions that can cater for those needs. This writer has written extensively on the role of that our medical professionals, teachers/lecturers and servicemen and women of the Armed Forces and the Police Force towards the nation building.

The establishment of the University College of Criminal Justice would enable members of our Armed/Police services to acquire better knowledge in intelligence gathering and fighting crime. We do not want to face the problems that have befallen our immediate neighbours and thus by putting all the necessary infrastructure in place as we push towards our goal of achieving middle income status demands hands on approach by the government. This writer believes that investing in our educational system is important, especially the demands that our country would be put under during the take off phase would be enormous. Thus in an article that acknowledged and praise the good work of our medical researchers, this writer argue that the medical school at University for Development Studies should be upgraded including Tamale Hospital so that our medical students can do their research at Tamale general Hospital instead of sending students to Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Also the pressure from the Northern countries can be catered for at Tamale general Hospital. In the same breath our leading Polytechnics (the 4 that wants accreditation) can hone the skills of our home grown engineers who are plying their trade at the various “Magazines” up and down the country. We will need their skills in the area of machinery building that can stand the conditions of a tropical country. The skills of our Magazine engineers are quite phenomenal…………most of these guys only have formal education……but their skills can match the best trained engineers in the world. This writer experience this at first hand in 2000 when he made a whistle stop in Ghana on his way from Lagos to London and hence fully supports Kwodwo Adjei's call for rethinking of our educational priorities. By giving these youngsters the opportunities to study at formal educational settings would greatly enhanced our match towards the Vision 2020 project. All that Kwodwo is asking for is to give these students an opportunity……an opportunity that will benefit our homeland.

God Bless our Homeland Ghana.

Peter Jeffrey, London.