How can HND holders teach HND students? - Wa Poly Rector

The Rector of Wa Polytechnic, Professor Emmanuel Marfo-Owusu, has revealed that some lecturers at Wa Polytechnic are Higher National Diploma (HND) holders, who are teaching HND students.

According to him, this is unacceptable, and, has, therefore, terminated the appointments of those lecturers.

Prof Marfo-Owusu explained that this action he took resulted in the attacks on him by some lecturers at the school on Monday, April 9 when some angry lecturers chased him out of campus.

This follows an allegation that he procured a vehicle for himself at the cost of over GHS 500,000 without the approval of the Governing Council.

Speaking on this development on Ghana Yensom on Accra100.5FM hosted by Chief Jerry Forson on Tuesday, 10 April, Prof Marfo-Owusu said the attack was orchestrated by the lecturers to frustrate him from sanitising the school.

He said: “When I went there as the rector, I realised that some lecturers had been withdrawing salaries for no work done; they took salaries for three years without teaching, and, so, I told them they could not continue withdrawing salaries at a time they were not working, so, I terminated their appointments.

“Again, some of the lecturers were HND holders who were teaching HND students. How is that possible? Ask whether this is done anywhere. And, so, I took a decision against that as well.”

He added: “The lecturers who attacked me are unhappy with how I am dealing with the rot in the system, and, so, I am not surprised at the attack, it won’t stop me from doing my work.”

Meanwhile, spokesperson for the Coalition of Unions at Wa Polytechnic, Mr Bamie Mubashir, has told show host Jerry Forson that the claims are not true.

He said: “He [Prof Marfo-Owusu] rather victimises people who are due for promotion” by stalling the signing of such promotions “for no reasons.”

He added: “On the qualification, the NCTE does the audits, and, so, if the auditing is done, the decision will be taken by the Governing Council.

“He thinks everybody in the polytechnic should have a PhD. How many of the polytechnics were having PhDs when they were awarding programmes? Do you have to sack somebody who has a Master’s and is teaching diploma students?”