POTAG Congress Slated For Sunyani

Space FM, Sunyani - The Polytechnic Teachers' Association of Ghana (POTAG), will hold its 13th Annual Delegates' Congress in Sunyani in the Brong-Ahafo Region, on September 26, 2007 under the theme, "The Polytechnic Teacher And The New Educational Reforms".

Highlights of the event include a welcome address by the Principal of the Sunyani Polytechnic, Professor Nsiah Gyabaah, and Guest Speakers' speech by the Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah.

There would be solidarity messages from COPP, UTAG, PAAG,TEWU,GNAT and GNUPS. The occassion would also be used to usher in the new National Executives of the POTAG led by the new president, Mr Richard Nkrumah, Head of the Liberal and General Studies Department of the Sunyani Polytechnic.

Among issues expected to be addressed by the president-elect are the exodus of polytechnic teachers and their conditions of service.

The president-elect told Space FM on phone that " it is painful how polytechnic lecturers leave for abroad or to teach in various unversities in the country". "The trend must be checked once and for all", he stressed.

He noted that currently, four lecturers at the Liberal and General Studies Department of the Sunyani Polytechnic have left to lecture in various universities. "The most worrying aspect is that you can not restraint them from leaving though the polytechnics have spent a lot in training them", he said. Mr Nkrumah is also expected to touch on conditions of service for locally trained polytechnic teachers who are interms of incentives, below their colleagues who trained abroad. Again, the president-elect would address feet dragging during negotiations.