Salaga (N/R), Feb 2, GNA - The School of Engineering of the Tamale Polytechnic would soon assemble earthmoving machinery including caterpillars to help boost the road and construction sector of the economy.

An agreement to this effect has been signed under a partnership between the polytechnic and Jefferson Technical University of the United States.

Under the agreement, Jefferson University would establish a depot in Tamale where the machinery would be assembled.

Tamale, Bolgatanga and Wa polytechnics have also gone into partnership with the Nova Scotia Agricultural College of Canada and have developed a curriculum for the teaching of entrepreneurship. The pilot phase of this project has already started with short certificate courses while a new curriculum for teaching of Agricultural Engineering based on a Competency Based Learning approach (CBL) has been developed and ready for implementation.

Alhaji (Dr) Seidu Yakubu Peligah, Principal of the Tamale Polytechnic, said these at Salaga on Wednesday in a speech read on his behalf at the 4th annual transition workshop on career and educational guidance for final year students of Salaga Secondary School. The Guidance and Counselling Unit of the school organised the forum on the theme: "Addressing the challenges of Senior Secondary School graduates for a successful post-secondary life".

Alhaji Peligah said the polytechnics were adopting measures to ensure that their products fit into the country's development strategy by fashioning out programmes that would address specific problems in the immediate environment to enhance national development.

Mr. Haruna Habib, Coordinator of the Guidance and Counselling Unit of the school, suggested to the East Gonja District Assembly to introduce skills training and income-generating activities for final year students in the three secondary schools in the area to help those who would not be able to further their education to earn a living. He also appealed to the Member of Parliament for Salaga, Alhaji Abubakari Saddique Boniface, to assist the Guidance and Counselling Unit of the school to acquire a television set and a videocassette recorder to help them in their educational programmes. 02 Feb 07