Daily Guide has learnt that, the Bolgatanga Polytechnic at Sumbrungu, in the Upper East Region, is currently faced with a problem of low enrollment of fresh students for its courses for the 2017/2018 Academic Year.
The Bolgatanga Polytechnic, established in 2002 is among two Polytechnics in the Country that were not elevated to the status of Technical Universities in 2016. Tamale, Sunyani, Kumasi, Koforidua, Ho, Cape-Coast, Accra and Takoradi Polytechnics were elevated, leaving Wa and Bolgatanga.
In 2016, when government decided not to elevate the Bolgatanga Polytechnic to a Technical University on Technical grounds, the School’s Authorities feared that, if the status of the Bolgatanga Polytechnic remained the same, then, the Polytechnic will be faced with a possible decline in the number of students applying to study there.
The fear of the Authorities has materialized, as students that would have applied for the Higher National Diploma Courses at the Bolgatanga Polytechnic and later do a top-up in a University of the choice, now have the opportunity to apply for Degree Courses in the Technical Universities.
Checks have revealed that, in the 2016/2017 Academic Year, the Bolgatanga Polytechnic admitted over 600 fresh students to read various Higher National Diploma (HND) Courses at the Bolgatanga Polytechnic.
Unfortunately, the Bolgatanga Polytechnic cannot boast of attracting same number or even higher, as the checks also revealed that, the School has so far admitted less than 500 fresh students for the 2017/2018 Academic year.
This wouldn’t be the first time the Bolgatanga Polytechnic has recorded a decline in the number of fresh students after its “glorious” days, however, insiders believe that, the 2017/2018 decline, if nothing new happens, would the most drastic in recent time.
The Registrar of the Bolgatanga Polytechnic, Zangu-Rana Ibrahim Yakubu, confirmed the decline in the number of fresh admissions for 2017/2018 Academic Year in an interview he granted to Tanga Radio’s Morning Show “the Agenda”. He even painted a more gloomy picture about the Bolgatanga Polytechnic’s future admissions, than this Daily Guide Reporter had imagined.
Zangu-Rana Ibrahim Yakubu called on government to pay a special attention to the development of the Bolgatanga Polytechnic so as to keep it in operation.
Apart from, the government’s decision not to elevate Bolgatanga Polytechnic, the Polytechnic itself has not been “loud” in the media as other Polytechnics, now Technical Universities, that are seriously advertising and promoting their brands through all forms of media, just to become attractive to the youth and parents.
Again the Bolgatanga Polytechnic has not been so “visible” and “piercing” enough to get the attention of the youth and parents in the Upper East Region.
Apart from the few challenges mentioned, Daily Guide can confirm that there is an increasing “crave” for Nursing and Teacher Training Colleges among the Youth and endorsed by many parents. The claim has always been that, after Nursing or Teacher Training College, a job is assured.
There is also the “invasion” by Public and Private Universities, as well as some recently elevated Technical Universities, as they advertise their Courses and sponsorship opportunities in the various local media houses in the Upper East Region.
Unfortunately, Bolgatanga Polytechnic cannot boast of an effective advertising connection with the local media, than its competitors coming from outside the Upper East Region.
Meanwhile, Daily Guide is reliably informed that, the School’s Authorities are taking steps re-brand and position the Bolgatanga Polytechnic to closer to the Youth, and make it an attractive and the best choice for any student seeking to read an Industry related Course.