Takoradi Technical University

The Takoradi Polytechnic is a public tertiary institution in the Western Region of Ghana. It is a co-educational centre that offers various academic programmes that lead to the award of the a Higher National Diploma certificate. The polytechnic has nine sister institutions in all the other nine regions of Ghana.

Takoradi Polytechnic was among the first three Polytechnics in Ghana that were first established as technical institutes that offered craft courses. In 1960, following the industrial development policy and rapid technological progress in a broad range of areas, technical education became a necessity for the country.

Since the technical institutions (polytechnics) were offering second-cycle craft courses while the universities were offering higher tertiary courses, there was a gap in the manpower supply needs of the country (Nsiah-Gyabaah, 2005). In recognition of this, a number of the technical institutes were established to train lower and middle-level skilled manpower to fill the gap. These technical institutes were established in Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi.

In 1963, the technical institutes were re-designated as polytechnics to run non-tertiary programmes. The Tamale and Ho technical institutes were elevated to polytechnic status in 1984 and 1986 respectively. The Cape Coast Polytechnic which was planned as a polytechnic was opened in 1986. In 1987, the Government of Ghana constituted a University Rationalisation Committee (URC) to develop proposals for reforming the management, academic structure and funding of tertiary education in Ghana. Following the submission of the URC’s report, the government issued a white paper in 1991 on the Reforms to the Tertiary Education System.

The White Paper gave prominence to polytechnic education and in 1993, following the promulgation of the Polytechnic Law, 1992 (PNDCL 321), the Polytechnics were upgraded to tertiary status. In line with government’s policy of making the polytechnics regionally based institutions, the Sunyani, Koforidua, Wa and Bolgatanga polytechnics were also established. In 1994 the polytechnics commenced the running of HND programmes. The White Paper specifically stated that the Polytechnics have a distinct and important role to play in middle-level manpower development and that programmes and courses were to be offered at the middle-level of technical training leading to the award of higher national diplomas but not departing from syllabi dedicated to practical training. The provision of such programmes will complete the cycle of technical education and provide a capacity for higherlevel technician training and practical research (Ministry of Education, 1993).

MANDATE OF TAKORADI POLYTECHNIC

The Polytechnic Law (PNDCL 321 of 1992) has since 2007 been replaced by the Polytechnics Law (Act 745). This gives a clear mandate to the Polytechnics when it states their aims and objectives as the following:

a) provide tertiary education in the fields of manufacturing, commerce, science, technology, applied social sciences and applied arts, etc; and 2

b) provide opportunities for skills development, applied research and publication of research findings.

External links

• Official website
• Polytechnic Education In Ghana: The Challenges And Prospects by Rev. Prof. Daniel A. Nyarko
• [http://www.fig.net/pub/accra/papers/ts08/ts08_01_agyeman.pdf/ Polytechnic Education in Ghana:

The Case of the HND Estate Management Programme by Mrs. Naana Amakie BOAKYE-AGYEMAN, Ghana ]