Busua — Both Takoradi and Kumasi Polytechnics have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hanze and Han University in the Netherlands, for the extension of the Netherlands Oversees Development Agency (NUFFIC) programme.

The NUFFIC is a non-governmental organisation, which is assisting the two polytechnics in capacity-building in teaching and learning, through Hanze and Han University.

The exchange programme between the university and the two polytechnics started four years ago.

Each polytechnic has so far received 5,000 Euros support, which was used to purchase equipment for the Civil and Building Department of the two institutions.

In line with this, a team from the polytechnic visited Hanze University to understudy their mode of training students - Competency Based Training (CBT).

At a closing ceremony of the review of the four-year exchange programme on Thursday, the Rector of the Takoradi Polytechnic, Dr. Apori Samuel Obeng, thanked the governments of the Netherlands and Ghana, and the authorities of the university, for making the CBT exchange programme a success.

According to him, the CBT had helped the students, to the extent that the response the monitoring team received from the Field Supervisors of the students was encouraging.

Mr. Ato Pamford, Regional Head of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), expressed the hope that the exchange programme between the two institutions and the university, would be extended to the benefit of the students of the polytechnic.

This is because "we must think of how to shape young professionals to acquire knowledge in oil engineering at the time oil has been found on the soil of the region."

The Chairman of the Takoradi Polytechnic, Professor Mireku Gyimah, who chaired the closing ceremony, noted that there was no doubt that the exchange programme sown by the university, would germinate and continue to grow.

Three lecturers, who had travelled to the university as part of the exchange programme to upgrade their knowledge, were presented with their project and Bachelor Degree certificates.

Mr. William Benjaminse and Elvira Ardon-Viser of the university presented the certificates to the three lecturers.