Kumasi Poly receives grant to set up training centre

The Kumasi Polytechnic (K-Poly) has received a grant of GHC1.4 million to set up a technology and training centre for the development and promotion of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies in Ghana.

The grant was provided from the Skills Development Fund of the Council of Technical Vocational Education and Training (COTVET).

Other partners of the project include the Energy Commission, UNEP Risoe Centre at the Danish Technical University, the polytechnic Campus of Arizona State University, and some local enterprises.

Disclosing this at the  ninth congregation of the polytechnic in Kumasi, the Rector, Prof. N.N.N. Nsowah-Nuamah, said the  centre, which would become operational in 2014, would seek to bridge the gap between academia and industry by providing practical training to address the needs of small and medium scale enterprises in solar energy, wind energy, bioenergy and energy efficiency.

In addition, it would provide continuous applied research support to local enterprises in the sector which would eventually lead to the development of innovative products for the local and international markets.

Job creation

The Rector expressed the hope that the project would contribute to job creation, skills acquisition and capacity building in renewable energy and greenhouse emission reduction.

In all, 2204 graduates were presented with Bachelor of Technology (B-Tech) degrees and Higher National Diplomas (HND).

Prof. Nsowah-Nuameh further disclosed that the strides being made by K-Poly had resulted in another grant of GHc500,000.00 from COTVET for the establishment of a centre for research and development for technology incubation.

Among other things, the project which begins in January 2014, sought to augment the efforts of the institution to enhance the capacity of its staff in technology research that has meaningful impact on the private sector and the community it serves.

The Rector said the polytechnic was introducing more academic programmes that were relevant to national development.

Following scholarships of study sought for teaching staff both at home and abroad, the polytechnic now has 27 PhD holders while 57 other members of staff were pursuing various PhD programmes.

Main campus

Prof. Nsowah- Nuamah said the development of a new main campus for the polytechnic at Kuntenase was on course.

A Deputy Minister of Education, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said  polytechnic education was not secondary to that of the university as some in the education sector sought to believe.

It was to give meaning to this that government was preparing to upgrade polytechnic to technical universities beginning 2014.

The deputy minister explained that the conversion was also aimed at giving true meaning to polytechnic education as the centre for producing the critical manpower for national development.

Mr Ablakwa commended the Rector of K-Poly and his management team for instituting a five-year strategic plan tailored at guiding the institution in the upgrading process.

Access courses for students

He urged polytechnics to reduce entry requirements by mounting access courses for students with grades D7 and E8 from the West Africa Senior High School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

He commended polytechnic Rectors for the efforts made in ensuring increased enrolment for the 2013/2014 academic year due to the high number of applicants from the two streams of senior high schools.

Touching on agitations by senior members in polytechnic administrations for wage rise, the deputy minister gave an assurance that the government would look into the issue with the view to reaching amicable settlement.

Present was the Akyempimhene of Kumasi, Oheneba Adusei Poku, who represented the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Chairman of the Polytechnic Council, Alhaji Salifu Seidu and the Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Yaw Adusei.