Poor conditions of service of lecturers affect polytechnic education - Prof. Tanzubil

Professor Paul Tanzubil, Principal of the Bolgatanga Polytechnic in the Upper East Region had blamed the poor performance of most of the country's polytechnic students to the poor condition of services of the staff, especially lecturers. He made the remark at this year's 5th Matriculation of the Polytechnic held in Sumburungu, near Bolgatanga at the weekend. Prof Tanzubil regretted that Lecturers of Polytechnics, who were in-charge of training the middle manpower of the nation were rather taking lower salaries and given poor remuneration and conditions of service as compared to their colleagues in other tertiary institutions. He stressed that the situation was de-motivating Polytechnic Lecturers to give of their best, especially those who were even sponsored for further studies to help train students. He added that these lectures eventually abandoned their posts after their further studies at the expense of the students and sponsors. He emphasised that unless Polytechnic Lecturers were given better remunerations like their counterparts, the dream of the government for Polytechnics to train middle manpower of the nation would be a mirage. Professor Tanzubil said this year, the Institution admitted 234 students into the Departments, Accountancy, Marketing, Science and Management Studies, Agricultural Engineering and Statistics of which 23 per cent representing females. The Principal explained that the Polytechnic which was mandated to provide the opportunity for its clients to develop the requisite knowledge, competencies and skills that would enable them to contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic of the country could admit more students but blamed the situation to the bad performance of students in the Region. He appealed to the stakeholders of education especially in the regions to help put effective mechanisms that would help improve the academic performance of students in the area since that was the best way of addressing the poverty situation in the Region. Mr Robert A. Ajene, a former Principal of the Polytechnic challenged Polytechnic products not to only rely on government for employment but establish their own businesses by using the skills and the entrepreneurial skills acquired at the institution. Mr. Ibrahim D. Yakubu, the Polytechnic Secretary, administered the Administration of Oath.