By Nana Osei Kyeretwie, GNA
Sunyani, Nov. 20, GNA – The enrolment into the Science-based, Technology, Engineering and Innovation (STEI) programmes in both Higher National Diploma (HND) and the Top-up Bachelor of Technology (B-Tech) of the Sunyani Technical University (STU) have been increasing appreciably yearly.
Professor (Ing.) Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah, the Vice-Chancellor (VC), said when he addressed the 23rd matriculation ceremony of the University on Friday in Sunyani.
He said over the past three years, enrolment statistics into the STEI programmes indicated appreciable increase in contrast to a decline in business and other related programmes.
The STU admitted 1,914 students for the 2018/2019 academic year and that represented 61.0 per cent of 3,137 prospective students who applied for admission, the VC said, adding that, out of that number admitted, 1,116, representing 58.3 per cent were males whilst 798 (41.7 per cent) were females
Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah added that enrolment in terms of type of programme indicated that the STEI programmes recorded a total of 1,172 students, constituting 61.2 per cent of total enrolment but business and related programmes admitted 742 students, representing 38.8 per cent of overall enrolment.
He cited programmes like Mechanical Engineering, Electronic/Electrical Engineering, Building Technology, Pharmacy Technology, Hotel, Catering and Institutional Management, Information and Communication Technology and Textile Technology have been recording significant increases in enrolment for the past three years.
The VC therefore called for the sustenance of that trend since it was in line with the institutions core mandate as a technical university per the « Technical Universities Act, 2016 Act 922 (As Amended) » and announced that the University had introduced new programmes to allow applicants to have options.
Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah stated that Faculty Heads had therefore been charged to come up with innovative programmes that would attract applicants to make the STU a university of choice and also contribute significantly to Ghana’s industrialisation agenda.
He said because of that, the University had submitted a number of 4-year B-Tech programmes to the National Accreditation Board and the National Council for Tertiary Education for accreditation and hoped that those four-year B-Tech programmes would be approved to be run in the beginning of the 2019/2020 academic year.
The VC expressed optimism the introduction of the four-year B-Tech programmes would put the University on a level playing field with other universities across the globe to compete for students both locally and internationally.
Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah said as part of the preparation to mount the four-year B-Tech and M-Tech programmes, the University was pursuing an aggressive staff development for its staff in both local and foreign institutions.
« We will continue to pursue this programme until every Faculty obtains a terminal degree (PhD) in order to remain relevant to the University’s developmental agenda, » he assured.
Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah expressed worry that the University continued to experience a reduction in the staff strength mainly due to retirement and resignations.
But, he explained the University was unable to recruit qualified and experienced staff to fill the vacancies as a result of its inability to receive appreciable final clearance.
The VC expressed the hope that with the government’s efforts to improve the conditions of service of technical universities staff, the attrition rate would reduce for the institution’s staff to stay and share their experiences to develop the fledging Technical Universities.
Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah expressed the hope that government would provide the institution with adequate financial clearance to enable it to employ additional staff to help mount the new four-year B-Tech programmes.
GNA
NOK/DSA
