The second reading of the Technical Universities Bill 2016 yesterday was characterized by passionate debate by members from both sides of the House as to whether the bill could indeed realize its objectives of ensuring the development of high-level technical skills with a clear route for technical and professional progression of graduates from senior high schools, technical and vocational institutes.
Most New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament, who saw some wisdom in the new bill, are not convinced about the preparedness of the government to indeed upgrade the 10 polytechnics into technical university in terms of infrastructural development and quality of learning at that level.
The NPP MP for Asene/Akroso/Manso, Yaw Owusu-Boateng, who is the deputy ranking of the Education committee, said the government must not just have the desire to upgrade the polytechnics into technical university but must be committed to ensure that the new technical universities are well-resourced to produce highly qualified scientists and technical people.
NPP MP for Old Tafo, Dr Anthony Osei-Akoto, said that the real definition of the technical university was not captured in the committee’s report and that it was important that the defined roles and mandates of the technical universities are publicly stated.
NPP MP for Bekwai, Joseph Osei-Owusu, on his part, said maintaining the polytechnics would have been better since those institutions have been training the middle manpower graduates for industries and that it would have been much beneficial for the government to properly invest in the polytechnics rather than set up the technical universities from those polytechnics for the purpose of upgrading their certificates.
NPP MP for Subin, Isaac Osei wondered whether the conversion of the polytechnics into technical would phase out polytechnic universities in the country.
National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Tamale South, who is also the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Haruna Iddrisu, said most graduates, who are unemployed, have skills mismatch as a result of the courses they offered at the university.
He said the technical universities would churn out graduates who would properly fit into the right job and help reduce unemployment in the country.
Minister of Education, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, told the House that six polytechnics namely Accra Polytechnic, Kumasi Polytechnic, Takoradi Polytechnic, Koforidua Polytechnic, Ho Polytechnic and Sunyani Polytechnic had been selected for the initial conversion into technical universities.
According to her, the remaining four polytechnics-Cape Coast, Bolgatanga, Wa and Tamale- do not meet the criteria in terms of human resource, equipment upgrading and technical support, adding that as part of preparations to get qualified students into the new technical universities, 13 technical institutes had been selected for retooling while 51 senior high schools are having their science laboratories also re-tooled to meet the requirements for admission.
The speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho was of the view that the debate on the bill has been one of the best in recent times and that the minister and all the stakeholders concerned must take important note of the outcome of the debate and ensure that at the consideration stage all the necessary inputs are made to ensure that the bill stands the test of time.
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