Academic activities have come to a standstill at the Cape Coast Polytechnic as lecturers and students demonstrate.

The action is to register their indignation at the exclusion of the institution from list of six polytechnics to be converted into technical universities in September, 2016. ”‹The students and lectures were clad in red outfits and with red bands as they protest amidst heavy police presence. 

Joy News Richard Kwadwo Nyako reports that roads leading to the campus of the polytechnic have been blocked to users.

President John Dramani Mahma in his State of the Nation Address said, six polytechnics including Kumasi, Accra, Koforidua, Ho, Sunyani and Koforidua polytechnics have met the 16-point criteria and will soon be converted to technical universities.

He said the remaining four other universities which includes the Cape Coast university, will be assisted by a special programme to support them with infrastructure, equipment and the strengthening of their governance structure to enable them meet the criteria in the shortest possible time.

But the unsatisfied students of Cape Coast Polytechnic say they have better infrastructure than Ho polytechnic and some others mentioned by the President. This they say is enough reason why the institution should have been selected for conversion.

“We are number six in Ghana and Ho polytechnic is number seven so how come they have been selected and we have been left out? One student quizzed.

The Chairman of the Council of Cape Coast Polytechnic, Dr Don Arthur was denied entry to campus. He was forced to come out of his car and receive the students and lecturers’ petition.

He stated in his address to the demonstrating group, Dr Arthur said the institution qualifies to be converted to a technical university.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Education, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has denied claims by the students that Cape Coast Polytechnic was placed above Ho polytechnic in Ghana.

“There is no need to fight over this, those four polytechnics will be supported and converted later and that is what the government is doing, he told Joy News.

He said the process for the selection of polytechnics for conversion was purely objective and beyond the influence of politicians.

 

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