BOLGA POLY TO HOLD CONFERENCE ON SCIENCE EDUCATION (PAGE 11, OCT 9)

THE Bolgatanga Polytechnic in the Upper East Region, is to hold a regional conference to deliberate on the state of science and technology education in the region to devise strategies for improving the situation.
This decision stems from the fact that progressively, the polytechnic is unable to admit more students to study science related programmes because very few students from the region obtain good passes at the senior high school (SHS) level.
The Rector of the Polytechnic, Professor Paul B. Tanzubil, said this at Sumbrungu, near Bolgatanga, during the seventh matriculation of the polytechnic.
Four-hundred and ninety-eight students, including 121 females, were offered admission into various Higher National Diploma programmes of study at the polytechnic, while 129 students who will be pursuing professional courses at the non-tertiary level and 36 more in the pre-HND access course matriculated.
Out of this number, 25 per cent of those admitted would be pursuing courses in science and engineering.
The rector appealed to all stakeholders in education in the region to redouble their efforts, stressing “a largely illiterate population is bound to perish in this increasing sophisticated era of globalisation”.
Professor Tanzubil announced that the polytechnic had been given the autonomy to award its own certificates, diplomas and degrees for its accredited programmes, adding that it hopes to start a degree programme as early as 2010/2011 academic year.
He also disclosed that plans were far advanced to introduce HND Programmes in Procurement and Logistics Management and Building Technology during the 2010/2011 academic year.
Touching on some of the challenges facing the young institution, the rector mentioned the poor condition of service for staff, inadequate infrastructure and very low annual budgetary allocation, and emphasised that though there have been some improvements over the years, the pace or quantum was not sufficient and appealed for greater commitment from the Government.
“The policy of allocating resources to tertiary institutions on the basis of student numbers is inimical to the growth of young institutions such as the Bolgatanga Polytechnic and needs a serious review”, he said.
The rector advised the martriculants to avoid indulging in such negative practices that would put them in trouble and urged them to attend lectures regularly, to attain their objectives of acquiring higher academic and professional laurels.
The Registrar of the Polytechnic, Mr Ibrahim D. Yakubu, who administered the matriculation oath, advised the students to be guided by the rules and regulations of the polytechnic and uphold its good name.
A founding Principal of the Polytechnic, Mr Robert Ajene, stressed the need for the Ministry of Education to equip students at the polytechnic with entrepreneurial skills to enhance the performance on the job market upon graduation.
The President of the Students Representative Council, Mr Matthew Abugbilla, advised the martriculants to avoid acts that would bring the image of the polytechnic into disrepute.