Accra, March 14, GNA- Parliament on Wednesday took the Polytechnic Bill through the consideration stage, during which amendments to initial proposals to the Bill are made.

The Polytechnic Bill, divided into five parts, has the object to revise the law relating to polytechnics and to make changes consequential to the Polytechnic Law, 1992 (PNDC Law 321) as a result of Constitutional requirement.

The Bill seeks to empower Polytechnic Councils to support the government education reform efforts and also solve the problems, which constrain polytechnic education and its contribution to the development of the country.

It also allows for the establishment of external relationships between the polytechnics and civil society, industry, employers, other institutions of higher learning and the government.

The Bill proposes the establishment of and objects of polytechnics, Academic Board, Organisation of a polytechnic, administration of a polytechnic as well as financial and miscellaneous provisions. The significant change from the existing Polytechnics Law is the provision for affiliation to universities to enable polytechnics to award degrees alongside the Higher National Diploma (HND) to meet the current needs of employers and also bridge the gap between graduates from the polytechnics and those from the universities.