Rev. Prof. John Frank Eshun, Vice Chancellor of TTU
The Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has made it clear that the nation will rely on technical universities to push her industrialization agenda forward to address development challenges and create jobs for the people.
Dr. Adutwum observed that unemployment, could be reduced drastically if conscious efforts were made to put technical education at the centre stage of the country’s education system.
It is on this score that he has charged Technical Universities to introduce an annual Technology Exposition (Tech-Expo) to exhibit innovations by students and faculties to ginger students to challenge themselves on ways to help shape society with technology.
“This is the only way the investments government is making into Technical education can be justified and be relevant to the country”, he added.
The Educational Minister stated this in an address read on his behalf at the 6th Congregation ceremony of the Takoradi Technical University (TTU).
For the 2020/2021 academic year, the University successfully turned out 4,218 graduands.
Six of them were awarded Master of Technology, 1,131 Bachelor of Technology degrees, and 2,348 received Higher National Diplomas.
He said the government through the Ministry of Education and relevant stakeholders is committed to embracing such students’ Tech-expos and will ensure that the innovators and their innovations are given the necessary push to commercialize them for societal use.
He revealed that the government will continue to extend its unflinching support to TTU to meet most of its infrastructure and logistical needs to fulfill its mandate.
He noted that in anticipation of the increased enrolment into tertiary institutions due to the Free SHS has ensured the completion and handing over of the newly constructed Oduro Block, funded by GETFund for use at TTU”, he stressed.
Dr. Ahmed Abdulai Jinapor, Deputy General, Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) asked Technical Universities to be well-positioned to execute a more aggressive employable agenda shaped in a stronger industry alignment.
He said technical universities are structured with the focus of applying technology to the various fields of teaching and learning.
The Vice Chancellor of TTU Rev. Prof John Frank Eshun said the University is poised to provide excellent technical education and training, innovative applied research and consultancy services to its students and stakeholders for the development of the nation and beyond.
He advised the graduates never to wait to be employed but rather to use their skills acquired to create jobs for themselves.
The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah said the current NPP government believes in quality education as a major fulcrum though which the nation’s manpower base can be developed.
He added that this stance of government explains the numerous interventions that the education sector is receiving in recent times.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi