Oguaa Technical to start advanced part-time courses

Cape Coast, May 14, GNA - Mr Ernest Lyaal, Principal of the Cape Coast Technical Institute on Saturday announced that the Institute would, as from next academic year introduce advanced part-time courses for workers in Cape Coast who could not get the opportunity to enrol formally in school. He stated that such courses, which would be at both the technical and business levels, would comprise Electrical, Mechanical, Automobile Engineering, Construction and the RSA stage three and level one of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA), among others. Mr Lyaal made this known in an address at his induction service, as the newly appointed principal of the Institute at Cape Coast. The Principal, whose appointment took effect from December 1, last year, was a former tutor in metal technology and technical drawing at the Mfantsipim School also in Cape Coast and succeeds Mr Mohammed Esson, who retired in November 2005 after 15 years service as principal of the Institute.

Mr Lyaal, whose induction service was presided over by Reverend Father Francis Valentine Odoom, Communications Director of the Archdiocese of Cape Coast and Chaplain of the Institute and Cape Coast Polytechnic was born in 1954 in Cape Coast. After his basic education in Cape Coast, he studied at the Asuansi and Tamale Technical Institutes, the Takoradi and Accra Polytechnics, the Kumasi Advanced Technical Teachers' College and later on read a degree in Technical Vocational Education at the University of Education in Kumasi.

He is currently working on a project for a Masters' Degree at the University of Cape Coast.

According to him, the long vacations would also be utilized for the organization of a variety of short courses such as beverages and soup making, Asian dishes, Small-Scale Business Management and stress management, among others.

Mr Lyaal said the introduction of the courses would enhance the image of the Institute, help to market it and expand its functions, to enable it play a meaningful role in the socio-economic development of the nation.

He said the vision of the institute cannot be realized if the human resource factor was not enhanced and assured that the necessary resources for staff motivation, development and orientation would be provided.

Mr Lyaal expressed the hope that the academic performance of the students coupled with their conduct would be excellent during his tenure of office to enable them play significant roles in the development of the nation.

Ms Veronica Fry-Annan, Cape Coast Municipal Director of Education, who introduced the new principal to the audience, described him as a dynamic and hardworking man, stressing that he was appointed on merit after an interview he attended with other applicants and urged the staff to assist and co-operate with him to promote the success of the school. Mrs Grace Sam, second Vice Principal of the Institute, in a welcoming address, said the school offered courses in employable skills to the youth in both the formal and informal sectors. Mr Joseph Ansah, chairman of the Board of Governors of the Institute pledged to institute an award of 100,000 cedis for the best science and mathematics student in each class during the institute's annual speech and prize giving day. 14 May 06