Takoradi Dec. 10 -GNA-Mr Joseph Aidoo, Western Regional Minister, on Friday called on the authorities of the country's Polytechnics to take a second look at the curricular of their institutions to make them response to the needs of commerce and industry. He made the call in an address read for him by Miss Jane Edna Nyame, Regional Director of the National Council on Women and Development (NCWD), at the 14th matriculation of the Takoradi Polytechnic at Takoradi.

Mr Aidoo said, "The curricular must be geared towards the ultimate and we cannot afford to be left behind in the industrial revolution that is taking place in the so-called third world". He said if polytechnics want to compete with the universities in liberal acts then "We would be missing out on some of the reasons in establishing the polytechnics".

Mr Aidoo said for the country to achieve its aim of rapid industrialisation, polytechnics have to concentrate their efforts on their traditional concerns and the fields for which they are best suited.

He said government is very much concerned about education because it is the key to development and is doing everything possible to remove obstacles to quality education in the country. Mr Aidoo said government is providing logistics to educational institutions from basic schools to the tertiary level and the capitation grant that has recently been provided is to make education at the basic level affordable and accessible to all.

Mr Aidoo said parents and students must show appreciation and reciprocate government's gesture and one way students could do this is by putting to good use facilities that have been provided at their schools.

He advised students of the Polytechnic to conduct themselves gently and avoid conflict. Mr. Aidoo said, "If you have any grievances they must be addressed through the right channels and endeavour to resolve your problems peacefully using the laid down procedures". Dr. Samuel Obeng Apori, Principal of the Polytechnic said the total intake for 2005/2006 academic was 2043, an increase of 31 percent over 2004/2005 academic year. He said the number of female students admitted for 2005/2006 academic year was 664 as against 428 for the 2004/2005 academic year. Dr Apori said the increase in admissions was due primarily to the movement of the School of Business to a new campus for teaching and learning facilities provided by the GETFund at Butumagyebu near Sekondi. He advised the students to be respectful, studious and law-abiding and to avoid social vices like prostitution and stealing with the aim of earning extra resources to support extravagant life-styles. Dr Apori said, "Do not copy blindly the bad lifestyles of your colleagues such as the use of expensive clothes, sophisticated electrical gadgets and eating from exclusive and high class restaurants, guest houses and hotels and unnecessary outing".