Takoradi Technical University Celebrates Successful Graduation of 24 PWD Students, Deepening Inclusive TVET Education

Takoradi Technical University (TTU) in Ghana has made significant strides in promoting inclusive Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) with the graduation of 24 individuals with disabilities at its 23rd Congregation.

The event marked the successful graduation of a total of 6,166 students for the 2022/2023 Academic Year.

During the congregation, Rev. Prof. John Frank Eshun, the Vice-Chancellor of TTU, highlighted the university’s commitment to bridging the gap between able-bodied and disabled students in accessing higher TVET education. He expressed pride in the graduation of 24 disabled students, including 20 hearing-impaired individuals and 4 others with physical disabilities.

This brings the total number of deaf students produced by TTU since the establishment of the Disability Support and Services Unit in 2017 to 164, the highest among all universities in Ghana during this period.

The Vice-Chancellor acknowledged the unique challenge of integrating hearing-impaired students into the regular stream, including instructional transfer, language acquisition, and the comprehension of abstract concepts. Nevertheless, he reaffirmed the university’s dedication to providing inclusive education that caters to the special needs of these exceptional learners.

However, Rev. Prof. Eshun appealed for increased funding support to sustain the Disability Support unit and enable more disabled individuals to access TVET education at the highest level.

He emphasized the university’s plan to leverage assistive technology, such as hearing aids and special laptops, to facilitate classroom and workshop instruction for these special students. To realize this vision, the university sought financial assistance from the corporate world and the global community.

In addition to the focus on inclusive education, the Vice-Chancellor announced that TTU had obtained accreditation for six new Master of Technology (MTech) programs.

These programs include Innovation and Enterprise Development, Mechanical Engineering, Power Production Systems and Integration, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Mathematics and Statistics, and Construction Engineering Management. The expansion of program options aims to enhance educational opportunities for students.

Moreover, through the European Union-funded Twin-Cities in Sustainable Partnership Project (TCSPP), TTU is collaborating with the Maritime Institute of Palermo, Italy, to establish a Maritime Training Centre. This center will provide professional maritime skills training and certification aligned with the International Maritime Organization’s standards.

Dr. Samuel Amo Tobin, the Chairman of the TTU Governing Council, commended the management of the university for its efforts and called on the Government, the Ministry of Education, and the Western Regional Coordinating Council to support TTU in the provision of necessary infrastructure, including lecture theaters, laboratories, and workshops, to accommodate the growing number of students and their learning needs.

Representing the Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Adutwum, a message was conveyed reaffirming the government’s commitment to increasing Ghana’s Gross Tertiary Education Ratio from 20 percent to 40 percent by 2030.

The 23rd Congregation also celebrated the outstanding achievements of the graduates. Among them, Ms. Buabeng Ama Andowa, a B-Tech Graphics graduate, received the 2022/2023 Disability Unit’s Barrier-Breaking First-class award.

Furthermore, Michelle Akoto Boateng, a Tourism Management student, received multiple accolades, including Best Graduating Female for Applied Science, Overall Best Graduating Student for Applied Sciences, Overall Best Graduating HND Student, and Best Graduating HND Female Student, earning her the title of the Overall Best Graduating Student for the TTU 23rd Congregation.

SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh