Qualified students denied polytechnic education

Accra, Dec. 17, GNA - The Accra Polytechnic have denied a thousand qualified applicants admission for the 2005/2006 academic year due to inadequate facilities, lack of accommodation and poor infrastructure of the institute, Professor Ralph Kingston Asabere, Principal of the Institute stated in Accra on Saturday. He said 3,682 students (2,413 male and 1,269 female) with various educational background applied for admission, out of this number, 3000 were short listed but unfortunately the institute could offer admission to only 2000 applicants representing 67 percent of the qualified applicants.

Prof. Asabere was speaking at the 13th matriculation ceremony where students swore the oath of admission into the department of building and civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, furniture design and production, and hotel, catering and institutional management. Others were; department of fashion design and textiles, science laboratory technology, mathematics and statistics, marketing, purchasing and supply, secretaryship and management studies, languages and liberal studies, and accountancy.

The Accra Polytechnic Principal called for urgent completion of all on-going projects on the campus, which includes lecture theatres and classroom facilities. He however, appealed to the Ministry of Education and Sports, the GETFund Administrator to construct both male and female dormitory to ease the accommodation problem facing the students. In view of the inadequate accommodation, landlords within the environs of the institute have taken advantage to charge exorbitant rents for houses that have been converted to students' hostel, "this is negatively affecting most students who cannot afford to pay the high rents," Prof. Asabere stated.

Prof. Asabere also outlined a number of on-going development projects, including a modern ICT Centre, Stores, and Internet Centre. He said the National Accreditation Board has given the institute the authority to offer bachelor degrees in Science Laboratory as well as Fashion Design and textiles, which would start from the next academic year. The school has instituted annual scholarship and award schemes to recognize the meritorious performance of students.

Mr. Napoleon Bulley, Chairman of the Polytechnic Governing Council advised the fresh students to take advantage of the many opportunities available for excellence, adding, "how the opportunities impact on your future depends on how you spend your time. "For most freshmen, who would be coming here directly from Senior Secondary Schools, the unlimited freedom available would be a source of temptation. You could either stay focused on your mission - the pursuit of excellency in your chosen filed of study or get distracted by the freedom on campus and the fast life of Accra." Mr Bulley also advised the students of the prevalence of HIV/AIDS "the almost unlimited freedom on campus imposes a high sense of responsibility on you, AIDS is real and you are advised to be cautious in forging relationships." Dean of Departments took the fresh students through the swearing-in and signing of the oath of admission, which formalizes the admission procedure of the Institute.