1,692 students on Saturday, 24th September 2022, graduated from the Koforidua Technical University after satisfying all necessary conditions for the award of the Higher National Diploma HND.
This year’s graduation ceremony is the institution’s 18th congregation.
Out of the total number, 146 students obtained First Class Honors, 896 secured Second Class Upper competent with merit, 613 had Second Class Lower while 31 managed Pass.
Speaking at a short, colourful ceremony to confer degrees and present awards to deserving students in Koforidua over the weekend, the Guest Speaker Ing. Dr. Daniel Anobaah Ankrah a consultant – Danank Engineering Company Limited charged management of Technical Universities to create the required manpower for industries.
“In an era of fast-changing technologies, we need high-level tertiary and technical institutions to produce graduates with the requisite expertise to help develop the nation. It is from this perspective that the Technical University system of education becomes more imperative in producing the required middle to higher level technical personnel needed for national development”.
“The role of technical universities was clearly spelt out in the Technical Universities Act 2016 (Act 922) that mandates Technical Universities to develop middle-level manpower in the context of national development and programmes offered at the higher level of technician training for the award of Bachelor of Technology Degrees and Higher National Diplomas without departing from the syllabi which have been dedicated to practical technician skills training. In creating the required manpower for the industry, it is expected that some graduates would become employees as they set up their own businesses.”
The Deputy Director of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, Dr. Ahmed Abdulai Jinapor speaking on behalf of the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Adutwum at the event revealed that clearance has been given to the Koforidua Technical University and other universities to roll out Postgraduate programs up to Doctoral level.
“The commission will provide you with all the necessary ingredients and impetus in your quest for the attainment of excellence. It is on this note that clearance is given to Technical Universities, including the Koforidua Technical University, to mount Postgraduate programs up to the Doctoral level”.
On his part, the Vice Chancellor of the Koforidua Technical University, Professor David Kofi Essumang who revealed that management is sponsoring 16 staff members to pursue programs at the PhD level also called on the government to help complete stalled infrastructural projects in the school.
“Currently, the University is sponsoring 16 members of staff to pursue programmes at the PhD and MPhil/MSc/MA/MBA levels. Besides those pursuing full-time programmes in the other educational institutions, quite a sizeable number of staff were sponsored for short courses and workshops. In spite of the seeming progress made in the University, we continue to face challenges in the implementation of its vision, these include insufficient funds, lack of staff office space, residential facilities, inadequate library space and insufficient ICT facilities.”
“Hotels on our campuses are woefully inadequate. More than two-thirds of students live in private rented buildings within the immediate communities. We therefore would want to appeal to the government for a special GETfund allocation to younger Technical Universities like ours in order to leapfrog our development and enable us to increase access to many more prospective students in Ghana.”
