Network (STRANEK) condemns the Vice Chancellor of University Of Ghana, Professor Ernest Aryeetey over comments he made with regards to the conversion of polytechnics into universities as he said it was an exercise in futility.
We candidly beg to differ with Professor Aryeetey as we know as a think tank per our research that Government took that initiative to mitigate the myriad of challenges students of polytechnics face when they graduate.
We sincerely know per our checks and findings as a policy and governance advocacy entity, that the conversion concept was well interrogated as experts were consulted and microscopic analysis were made before a journey like this was embarked on. Thus, so many accoutrements have been considered for inclusion before the conversion takes place. For that matter, it is palpably false that it is just a mere conversion without providing the necessary equipments that will uplift the standard for a conversion to a university.
Moreover, we lampoon Professor Aryeetey when he says turning polytechnics into University is like spending more time doing research and generating ideas. Once again, per our research, not all polytechnics are being converted as at now but those polytechnics which meet the standard provided by the experts in charge of the conversion such as:
1. Institutional standing
2. Academic staff requirement
3. Collaboration with industry etc
and six(6) out of the ten(10) polytechnics are qualified i.e Koforidua, Accra, Takoradi, Kumasi, Ho and Sunyani polytechnics.
That notwithstanding, we know that conversion of polytechnics to universities is necessary as the conversion is not just to universities but to technical universities to feed the industrialization path we have decided as a country to embark on. This we point out to Professor Aryeetey that he got it wrong with his comments.
We at this juncture reiterate that the conversion of the polytechnics to universities viz. TECHNICAL UNIVERSITIES is really necessary and per our research, the technical universities will still convert ideas to skills in addition to their ability to research.
By: Albert David Quainoo // www.dailyviewgh.com
Writer’s email dailyviewgh@gmail.com
