RESOLVE THIS CONFUSION NOW

Polytechnics are generally expected to provide practical courses or hands-on education, a scope of education which is different from that of the university, which is expected to provide both practical and academic courses, and which awards its own certificates.
Thus in most cases, especially in Ghana, while the polytechnics as of now award the Higher National Diploma (HND) as the highest certificate, the universities can award the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), the ultimate in the string of certificates awarded by the university.
In the recent past polytechnic students agitated that the HND was also a tertiary certificate and so when it came to job placement, they expected that they would be placed on the same scale as the university products who hold degrees.
Even though the DAILY GRAPHIC would not want to be a judge in this case, it can only say it is obvious the course content of the HND, as well as its focus, and the content and focus of the degree courses are in different categories, in which case the two are not comparable.
However, we are of the firm belief that polytechnic education is such that it cannot be discounted in any economy because it is expected to push the technical activities in that economy.
This is why we would always want the problems of polytechnics in the country to be resolved with dispatch so that they can concentrate on their mission and prosecute it well, such that the products of these institutions would be content with the certificates awarded to them by their alma mater.
We were, therefore, happy when the Polytechnic Act (Act 745, 2007) was passed, but our happiness seems curtailed due to some confusion that a section of the stakeholders in polytechnic education is pointing to.
Hitherto, the National Board for Professional and Technician Examinations (NABPTEX) had been awarding polytechnic products with the HND, but Act 745 says in section 5 (a) that “a polytechnic may award HND accredited by the National Accreditation Board (NAB).
This has caused NABPTEX to describe that section of the Polytechnic Act as being ‘dangerous’. According to it, the “National” in the “Higher National Diploma clearly implies that a national body should award the HND to avoid a situation where the 10 polytechnics would award their own HNDs in addition to the one to be awarded by NABPTEX.
The NABPTEX Act (Act 492, 1994) subsection 2(b) says that the board (that is, NABPTEX) “shall in consultation with the relevant polytechnics and professional institutions, conduct examination and award national certificates and diplomas based on the results of the examinations”.
The DAILY GRAPHIC wishes to say that the polytechnics have various problems, some of which NABPTEX mentions as poor conditions of service and lack of equipment and facilities, and so it would be needless to create fresh ones such as the confusion over whether NABPTEX should award national HNDs or the polytechnics should award ‘institutional HNDs’.
The various stakeholders should study the concerns and, if possible, amend section 5 (a) of the Polytechnic Act or follow the line of action that would remove the confusion and at the same time enhance standards at our polytechnics.
The DAILY GRAPHIC hopes that the polytechnics in the country have not forgotten a piece of advice given in October 2001 by the Principal of the Takoradi Polytechnic, Dr Nicholas Aidoo-Taylor, that polytechnic administrators should assist academic and teaching staff to generate additional income to support the institutions and that there was the need to develop strategies to transform the polytechnics into institutions that could create wealth alongside their traditional roles.
We believe that when problems faced by the polytechnics are resolved, the country will benefit from their mission, which will greatly enhance our economy.