The Principal of the Volta Technical Institute at Matse in the Ho Municipality in the Volta region, Sampson Castro Wede, has bemoaned the lack of adequate infrastructure to propel the institute to its befitting height.
Speaking to newsmen during a routine visit to the school by
members of the Volta Region Branch of the Institute of Engineering and
Technology (IET), Ghana, Mr. Wede, noted that the infrastructure deficit is a
drawback to the school's academic aspiration, hence, called for timely
intervention by stakeholders in providing the institute with classroom
blocks, workshops, dormitories and other
accommodation facilities to ensure effective teaching and learning.
The Volta Technical Institute was established eleven years
ago with student population less than 20. The Institute with such low number of
students, ran eight programmes since its establishment. In spite of strides by
authorities to keep the school running, the institution continues to struggle
to attract students and teachers due to the lack of befitting classroom and
workshop structures expected in a skill-acquisition oriented institution.
The school’s current population of 475 makes the students
not only struggle for space on campus both in the classrooms and dormitories
but also render them vulnerable to any communicable and other diseases. The
inadequate infrastructure base makes it difficult for both students and
teachers to ensure smooth academic works.
Following persistent plea from authorities of the school,
the Ho Municipal Assembly commenced the construction of a six-unit storey
classroom block but stalled for the past three years for no apparent reasons.
Interestingly, the institute accordingly has no befitting kitchen and dining
hall as students are forced to eat under a makeshift, an improvised dining hall
which is an eyesore.
Students dining under a makeshift.
However, Mr. Castro Wede, commended the Matse community for
its continued support in advancing accelerated development of the institute.
“The community loves the school so much, in fact, they took
the school as a private school. They provide every need of the school. For
instance the very classroom block we are standing on now was provided by the
community from the scratch to the finish. Then unfortunately in 2024, the roof
was taken off. They remobilised with some support from the Municipal Assembly
with 4 pockets of roofing sheets, they re-roofed it and went further to finish
it – provided the doors, the windows, screeding, plastering to be able to help
us now to convert it into Boys Dormitory,” Mr. Wede recounted.
Mr. Sampson Castro Wede, Principal of Volta Technical Institute.
Pointing to a newly built and roofed building farther from
the place of the interview, he further explained how the community honoured its
promise of providing a Girls Dormitory for the school in anticipation of the Headmaster
securing a boarding status for the institution, which he equally delivered.
On their part, both the Boy and Girl Heads of the school,
Justice Mensah Boaz and Beatrice Adutwum Berimah also added their voices by
appealing to the government, philanthropists, and the general public to as
matter of urgency come to the aid of the school.
Justice Mensah Boaz, Head Boy of Volta Technical Institute.
“There are not enough classrooms for us, there are not
enough dormitories for us, and also the dining hall is very chocked. So we need
more infrastructures in the school. And also the food must be improved on, the
feeding of the students must also be improved on,” the Boys Head, Justice
Mensah Boaz appealed to government.
Beatrice Adutwum Berimah, Head Girl of Volta Technical Institute.
“Here in Volta Tech, I think my brother has said it all, as
for the infrastructure especially the Girls Dormitory it’s congested so we are
appealing to the government if you can help us build more dormitories and
school blocks,” the Girls Head, Beatrice Adutwum Berimah.
Meanwhile, the delegation from the Institute of Engineering
and Technology (IET), Ghana, used the opportunity to present to the Volta
Technical Institute some technical and vocational training tools for their
practical lessons to help enhance effective teaching and learning as well as
enable students acquire the requisite skills expected of them before completing
their second cycle education.
Items presented by IET Ghana to Volta Technical Institute
“We are here today to donate tools and equipment to Volta
Technical Institute to enhance the teaching and learning of the students, that
is the main reason why IET Ghana is here today. But I will urge the students
and then the teachers to take these tools and equipment very seriously. They
should be able to manage it so that at the end of the day the students will
gain whatever they want to gain out of this,” Eng. Nestor Amekah advised.
Eng. Nestor Amekah, Volta Regional Chairman, IET Ghana
The Volta Regional Chairman of the Institute of Engineering
and Technology, Ghana, Eng. Nestor
Amekah, also underscored the significance of Technical and Vocational Education
and Training (TVET) in national economic growth, stressing that gone are the
days technical students were regarded as school drop-outs and that TVET has
come to stay.