Kpando Technical Institute chalks up successes at 60
Kpando Technical Institute was established by Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, in 1956 to train students to acquire vocational skills.
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Currently, it offers courses such as automotive engineering technology, wood construction technology, block laying and concreting technology, welding and fabrication technology, agricultural mechanisation technology, creative art, computer hardware, fashion and designing, plumbing and gas fitting technology, among others.
As part of the preparation towards the 60th anniversary of the institute which will be held in November this year, various planning committees are being formed under the leadership of an alumnus and the board chairman of Kpando Technical Institute, Mr Emmanuel Akoto, who is also a former lecturer at the Ho Technical University, who spoke about the importance of technical and vocational education.
He said acquiring skills and knowledge in that field prepared students as future entrepreneurs and emphasised that technical and vocational training offered employable skills to students from the beginning to the end of their education. He again indicated that it was best to be in school to learn a trade and make use of it by employing other people, and therefore trainees should be proud of the academic environment in which they found themselves.
Unemployment
Mr Akoto indicated that in a country where unemployment had become a major issue, such skilful hands were needed to create jobs. “We create the job for others, without us, there are no jobs,” he said.
Using himself as an example, Mr Akoto said he was a proud product of technical education because he had made it in life as a product of technical education.
“Most of my colleagues, technicians, electricians, engineers, architects, welders are doing very well, both home and abroad, and making good money,” he said, emphasising that “technical and vocational education was a sure means of becoming rich, therefore, students should take their education serious.”
The former lecturer said students had a role to play in the job creation of the county and that “this is your time to make it with all the opportunities available. If you take the skills you are being taught here seriously, you will soon employers”.
Institute’s contribution
The principal of the institute, Mr Isaac Newton Kudjo Bimpeh, who said the contribution of the school had been felt in the socio-economic development of the country, stated that the 60th-anniversary celebration would enable the school to take stock of its achievement and challenges and consider the way forward.
The Municipal Director of Education, Mrs Angelica Attakey, stated that due to the importance of vocational and technical education, Ghana was working within a policy framework known as Competency-Based Training (CBT) to achieve a comprehensive, flexible and dynamic system of skills training and acquisition.