By D. I. Laary, GNA
Accra, Sept. 14, GNA – The Ghana Technology University College (GTUC) has its roots in Ghana Telecom’s flagship Training Centre.
It was first used as a Royal Air Force Training School during the Second World War and subsequently handed to Cable and Wireless to train Telecommunications Technicians for British West African Countries – Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia.
The Training Centre progressed rapidly through deregulation and privatization to become the main source of teaching and certification in Telecommunications Engineering for Ghana Telecom employees as well as other institutions in the country and West Africa.
In 2005, Ghana Telecom’s management upgraded the infrastructure and equipment to modern standards in preparation for converting the Training Centre into a university for telecommunication and multimedia engineering and information technology.
On November 1, 2005, GTUC was given approval to continue its preparation for accreditation from the National Accreditation Board (NAB).
On March 30, 2006, the University College was given accreditation and registered under regulation 12(1) of the Tertiary Institutions regulations, 2002, L. I. 1700, to run eight programmes.
The programmes included Diploma in Telecom Engineering, BSc Information Technology, BSc Computer Engineering, BSc Informatics, BSc Telecom Engineering, BSc Mobile Internet Communication, MSc Telecom Management and MSc Telecom Engineering.
Three new programmes were later accredited by NAB which enabled the University College to offer Diploma in Information Technology, BSc (Top Up) in Information Technology and BSc (Top Up) in Telecom Engineering.
The primary target for the ‘Top Up’ programmes is for holders of Higher National Diploma (HND) who look for ways to upgrade to a degree status.
The College, described as technology training hub in the sub region, was officially inaugurated on August 15, 2006, by His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor, a former President of Ghana.
The first council of the University College had Dr Benjamin A. Ntim as Chairman with the following as members – Dr Osei Darkwa, Justice Sophia Akuffo, Prof Christine Kissiedu, Mrs Margaret Mwanakatwe, Professor F. K. Allotey, Mr Edmund Annan and Professor Knud Skouby.
The present council, which was inducted on August 23, 2010 has nine members, comprising renowned educators, business executives and government officials.
It has Professor Walter S. Alhassan as Chairman with members being Professor F. A. Allotey, Professor Clement Dzidonu, Dr Osei K. Darkwa, Mrs Sylvia Asempa, Mr Dick Otuteye, Gideon Quarcoo, Dr Ben Adu and Mr Nortey Yeboah.
Over the past 10 years, GTUC has expanded tremendously in infrastructure, academic programmes and human resource capacity.
The University College now has a population of about 8,000 students pursuing over 28 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. It has also established working and mutually beneficial partnerships with over 20 reputable institutions and universities around the globe.
Scholarships
The University College has instituted a memorial scholarship to in memory of the late Mrs Florence Mamaa Nkrumah Onny, who demonstrated singular dedication and commitment to the school in her capacity as the Head of University and International Relations until her untimely death on July 5, 2012.
The Florence Nkrumah Onny Scholarship Fund provides partial and full financial support to continuing students with financial need who are pursuing diploma, undergraduate, and post-graduate studies.
The upkeep covers tuition, accommodation, and other academic expenses.
There is also the President’s scholarship with staff members being appointed to serve on the President Scholarship Committee.
The core function of the Committee includes reviewing of applications, making recommendation of the most qualified students for award of the scholarship.
The Committee is also to ensure that selection of applicants are done in an ethical manner that stresses merit and need basis as well as review performance of successful applicants.
The scholarship schemes continue to make impact on lives of students and ensure that all students have fair chance of finishing their education with ease.
On infrastructural front, GTUC has since its inception been guided by a student-centred approach in all its development expansion efforts and staying in concert with that principle, the University College has undertaken multiple projects.
New Structures
There is a graduate school block – two storey building – dedicated to the University College’s graduate school programmes, designed to give students a unique and world-class learning experience.
It is complete with lecture rooms, offices, conference rooms and an auditorium named Florence Onny Auditorium.
Its C-Block or Great Hall is the University College’s central lecture room building on its main campus for undergraduate programmes.
It is a three-storey building with lecture halls, offices for teaching assistants, laboratories, and language center.
‘Plans are far advanced to relocate the e-library to this building to give our cherished students an even better learning experience,’ Mrs Afua Amankwah Sarkodie, Head of GTUC Public Relations, told the Ghana News Agency.
An informatics edifice dedicated to the informatics department has also been built.
College authorities say there are plans to further expand the structure and equip it with lecture rooms to complement the C-Block.
A single storey building as procurement store to house the college’s procurement department has been built and completed with storage space and offices.
Fully furnished three study bays have also been built on the GTUC main campus at Tesano to aid students learning and interaction.
With regards to water, a 137,120-liter capacity reservoir has been constructed for rainwater harvesting on its main campus and it serves the University College’s administration block.
‘We plan to replicate the concept in many of our existing and proposed structures,’ Mrs Sarkodie said.
The institution has completed first phase of its sports arena which comprises leveling and filling to create a football pitch.
The students currently enjoy football on the pitch and have formed a campus league christened ‘GTUC League’.
On power, the University College has installed several generators as backup to power supply for its campuses across the country to guarantee uninterrupted teaching and learning.
It bought 150KVA and 45KVA for its main campus and the Abeka one, 150KVA for Takoradi, 10KVA for Kofirdua and Ho, 200KVA for Kumasi, 5KVA for its International Hostel and 10KVA and 20KVA for the Nungua campus.
GTUC has also attempted to modify its existing structures to accommodate growing students’ population and ensure technology education gets to the door steps of every qualified candidate.
The main administration block, inherited from Ghana Telecom, has been refurbished with a student services office with staff from Finance, IT, Student Affairs, University Relations, Human Resource, Audit and Quality Assurance.
It also has well stocked library with and E-library component, video conference room, president’s wing, and engineering block.
The engineering block, also inherited, has been modified to include offices, laboratories and a reprographic center.
Currently, GTUC has three hostel blocks on campus with a total of 36 rooms capable of housing 144 students. Officials say this is nowhere near enough, considerable effort has been made to ensure that students staying on campus are very comfortable.
Mrs Sarkodie said a property has been leased to serve as an additional hostel. ‘This is about 200 meters away from the campus, it currently houses an additional 32 students in eight rooms,’ she added. ‘A fully furnished cafeteria is also in operation on the main campus that serves the entire university community.’
The total land area of the university is approximately 15.2 acres – covering its main Tesano campus, Abeka campus, Nungua Campus, Kumasi Amanfrom campus, but excludes leased properties.
On GTUC at10 years, president of the college, Dr Osei Kofi Darkwa said: ‘What began as a small university has risen up to stand tall amongst tertiary institutions in Ghana with more than 477 employees in five out of the 10 regions in the country.’
‘The University College has countless achievements and accomplishments; currently we are ranked as the number one private tertiary and number four tertiary institutions in Ghana. This indeed is awesome’
Ten years ago, he recalled, ‘I said I see a University which taps into the creativity of each of its students, I see a university which integrates technology across all disciplines and throughout the campus.
‘I see a university that is moving in the direction of distributed distance and open learning, I see a university which is dedicated to serving as a community resource for the economic and technological development of this country, I see a university where the concept of service to the community and the world threads throughout our curriculum.
‘I see a university which will move away from students success in terms of credits and grades and will focus more on its students development as compassionate, creative and cultured human beings well prepared to have in a technologically, sophisticated and economically independent global village.’
‘And today, am happy to say we are well on our way to achieving that vision.’
The Registrar, Mrs Julian Owusu Ansah noted: ‘From the earliest moments I have been impressed by the involvement of staff and faculty members of the University College.
‘They carry their job responsibilities seriously, they have wide professional experience and they bring an amazing array of skills to the table. We are people who know how to get things done and how to get everyone involved.
‘Together we are an incredibly rich resource to GTUC and to ourselves. One of the things we have done over the past 10 years is to teach and imbibe in each and every member the importance of growing together as one big family and that is what we refer to us the spirit of GTUC.
GTUC- Knowledge comes from learning’
Mrs Sarkordie, Head of Department, University Relations, said: ‘When we talk about the GTUC brand, we are referring to a number of branding values, we talk about innovation, convenience, flexibility, international partnerships and collaborations.
‘We talk about uniqueness, a matchless ability to provide a type of tertiary education that is not common in this country or in fact this part of Africa.
‘We are talking about a school that is committed to providing students with programmes and courses that are underpinned by current technologies.
‘Almost 25 per cent of our students come from destination beyond Ghana. These students come to us because we are offering them education that provides employable skills and as we celebrate this milestone, we appreciate all our partners for giving us the opportunity to service them these past ten years.’
Mr Samuel Nunoo, the President of Students Representative Council added: ‘GTUC has come a long way. Over the short period I have studied here, I have seen the university grow and transform.
‘The University College remains committed to the delivery of quality ICT education, underpinned by excellence, Integrity and the freedom of students to think outside the box.’
‘On behalf of all my colleagues I wish GTUC a happy 10th Anniversary.’