Cape Coast, Tamale polys apply for reassessment for conversion to technical universities
Two polytechnics that could not make it in the list of polytechnics to be converted into technical universities have applied for reassessment for possible consideration.
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They are the Cape Coast and Tamale polytechnics. The two respectively scored 10 and 11 points out of the maximum of 16 points as awarded by the Prof. Adimado Expert Panel that did the assessment.
This was in line with the directive from the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) that, “At any time in the future that a polytechnic feels it has met the key criteria for conversion, it can apply to the NCTE for the necessary reassessment and recommendation to enable it to make the transition.”
Reassessment
A statement issued by the management of the NCTE said, “provided that the reassessments to be done by NCTE result in a positive outcome, it is still possible that the list of six (6) polytechnics currently constituting the first batch to make the transition may yet be amended to include the additionally qualified polytechnic or polytechnics.”
The NCTE emphasised that the policy objective to eventually convert all polytechnics into technical universities had not changed, explaining that the process of conversion needed to be properly controlled and rolled out in phases for effectiveness, given that the institutions were not at the same level in terms of critical infrastructure and resources.
The statement assured that the polytechnics that did not make it in the first batch of conversion would receive priority attention from the NCTE and government to address the identified shortcomings in the shortest time possible.
Observations
It said the council had followed with keen interest and concern, discussions in the media on the processes and procedure for selection of eligible polytechnics for the first batch of conversion to technical universities.
“It is understandable that these may have been largely inspired by anxiety about the future of polytechnics that are not in the first list. But, sadly, it has also been observed that several misrepresentations about the processes continue to be thrown into the otherwise useful discourse.
“The NCTE wishes to assure the general public and the affected polytechnics that it remains committed to these principles and to preserving the integrity of the process of conversion,” the statement said.
The statement said the council was hopeful that those further clarifications would finally put to rest any lingering agitations around the issue, and added, “We, therefore, call on all stakeholders to ensure that calm returns to the campuses to enable normal academic and administrative work to resume without let or hindrance,”.