Prof Edmund Ameko (left) and other invited guests congratulating some of the first class students at the graduation ceremony.Photo.Ebo Gorman.
EFFECTIVE 2018/2019 Academic year, students of the Accra Technical University (ATU) offering engineering and science programmes will not take their practical examinations on paper, the Acting Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Edmund Ameko, has announced.
“The university would start with the conduct of practical examinations in the laboratories and workshops for engineering and science students for the end of semester examinations.
“Students would no longer have written examinations for practical courses during the end of semester examinations. They would be examined practically in the laboratories and workshops and we give them the marks based on their abilities,” Professor Ameko said.
He made this announcement at the 17th graduation ceremony of the ATU in Accra on Friday.
According to him, this new approach was to properly assess the students on their practical competences and forms part of the ATU’s Competency Based Training (CBT) programme.
He said as part of initiatives to adequately prepare their students for the job market, in line with the Technical University’s Act, the CBT had proven to be the antidote since those who were tested with it in the final examination, the fashion graduating class, came top as the best graduating group.
Professor Ameko said the ATU was forging stronger ties with industry to offer their students internship opportunities with industries, businesses, professional bodies and technical experts to improve on delivery of all its programmes.
“This would improve the opportunities for internships, skills development, applied research and community and extension services,” he noted.
Some of the institutions the ATU had existing relationship with include the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Enterprise Life Assurance Company Limited, and the University of Maryland amongst other, he said.
Professor Ameko said the Governing Council of the ATU had made provisions in its 2018 budget for the upgrade of its existing facilities to enhance the quality of teaching and learning at the university.
The Board Chairman of the ATU Governing Council, Professor Ralph Kingston Asabre, stressed the need for the ATU to do things differently as it had transited from a polytechnic to a fully fledged university adding that management was reviewing the university’s strategic plan to situate it in line with the new provisions of the conferment of a university status.
He said the institute was understaffed and pleaded with the government to give it clearance to recruit essential staff to supplement the human resource needs of the ATU.
“As a university, we will not relent in making meaningful contributions to the development of our nation through research studies,” he said indicating that plans were far advanced for the school to commence post-graduate programmes in order to further add to the knowledge base of the country,” he stated.
In total, 2870 students, consisting of 157 Bachelor of Technology and 2,713 Higher National Diploma (HND) graduated at the colourful ceremony which saw Ms. Happy Tsagli, a fashion student emerging as the overall best student.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
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