The Kumasi Polytechnic branch of the Tertiary Education Confederacy (TESCON) of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has described the ruling National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) manifesto on polytechnic education, as “vague and a political gimmick” to win cheap political votes. It said all that was said about polytechnic education by President John Dramani Mahama at the launch of the party’s manifesto in Ho last week, showed that either his “advisors provided him with false information or the NDC is not on top of issues concerning polytechnic education in the country”. A statement jointly signed by Mr Kofi Poku, the President, and Ms Diana Tabi, the Secretary said, “Polytechnic education in Ghana is a fully fledged tertiary programme in view of the passage of Polytechnic Act 2007, Act 745”. “That same Act makes polytechnics fully autonomous and mandates them to award certificates, diplomas, bachelors’, masters’ and PHD degrees to their products.” President Mahama at the NDC’s manifesto launch said, the party would work to upgrade polytechnics and affiliate them to some existing universities to award degrees and eventually turn them into technical universities. According to the K-Poly TESCON, some polytechnics were already running four-year degree programmes that would lead to the award of a Bachelor of Technology Degree to their students. The statement insisted that the polytechnics did not need to be affiliated to any university for the award of degree or any other higher certificate. “We do not need the tag or rebranding into a technical university before we can do what we do best as polytechnic students. We have everything in place as an institution of higher learning, and we are proud of our polytechnic tag, so President Mahama’s argument is neither here nor there.” It said the physical discrimination against both polytechnic students and staff in the provision of infrastructure and incentives at the tertiary level was a clear neglect of polytechnic education by the government. It noted the denial of the demand for equity in salaries and other allowances by the polytechnic lecturers resulting in long strike actions, which often affected the students. “The polytechnic students also suffer all forms of professional and intellectual discrimination during industrial attachment and employment.” The statement said these together with high school fees and other charges made polytechnic education a burden not only to students but parents as well. Polytechnic students, it said, would therefore vote for a party that had and continue to show enough commitment to their plight.