By: Prince-Kelvin Setrick
The Principal of the Volta Technical Institute at Matse in the Ho Municipality in the Volta region, Sampson Castro Wede, has bemoaned the lack of adequate infrastructure to propel the institute to its befitting height.
Speaking to newsmen during a routine visit to the school by members of the Volta Region Branch of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET), Ghana, Mr. Wede, noted that the infrastructure deficit is a drawback to the school’s academic aspiration, hence, called for timely intervention by stakeholders in providing the institute with classroom blocks, workshops, dormitories and other accommodation facilities to ensure effective teaching and learning.
The Volta Technical Institute was established eleven years ago with student population less than 20. The Institute with such low number of students, ran eight programmes since its establishment. In spite of strides by authorities to keep the school running, the institution continues to struggle to attract students and teachers due to the lack of befitting classroom and workshop structures expected in a skill-acquisition oriented institution.
The school’s current population of 475 makes the students not only struggle for space on campus both in the classrooms and dormitories but also render them vulnerable to any communicable and other diseases. The inadequate infrastructure base makes it difficult for both students and teachers to ensure smooth academic works.
Following persistent plea from authorities of the school, the Ho Municipal Assembly commenced the construction of a six-unit storey classroom block but stalled for the past three years for no apparent reasons. Interestingly, the institute accordingly has no befitting kitchen and dining hall as students are forced to eat under a makeshift, an improvised dining hall which is an eyesore.
Students dining under a makeshift.
However, Mr. Castro Wede, commended the Matse community for its continued support in advancing accelerated development of the institute.
“The community loves the school so much, in fact, they took the school as a private school. They provide every need of the school. For instance the very classroom block we are standing on now was provided by the community from the scratch to the finish. Then unfortunately in 2024, the roof was taken off. They remobilised with some support from the Municipal Assembly with 4 pockets of roofing sheets, they re-roofed it and went further to finish it – provided the doors, the windows, screeding, plastering to be able to help us now to convert it into Boys Dormitory,” Mr. Wede recounted.
Mr. Sampson Castro Wede, Principal of Volta Technical Institute.
Pointing to a newly built and roofed building farther from the place of the interview, he further explained how the community honoured its promise of providing a Girls Dormitory for the school in anticipation of the Headmaster securing a boarding status for the institution, which he equally delivered.
On their part, both the Boy and Girl Heads of the school, Justice Mensah Boaz and Beatrice Adutwum Berimah also added their voices by appealing to the government, philanthropists, and the general public to as matter of urgency come to the aid of the school.
Justice Mensah Boaz, Head Boy of Volta Technical Institute.
“There are not enough classrooms for us, there are not enough dormitories for us, and also the dining hall is very chocked. So we need more infrastructures in the school. And also the food must be improved on, the feeding of the students must also be improved on,” the Boys Head, Justice Mensah Boaz appealed to government.
Beatrice Adutwum Berimah, Head Girl of Volta Technical Institute.
“Here in Volta Tech, I think my brother has said it all, as for the infrastructure especially the Girls Dormitory it’s congested so we are appealing to the government if you can help us build more dormitories and school blocks,” the Girls Head, Beatrice Adutwum Berimah.
Meanwhile, the delegation from the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET), Ghana, used the opportunity to present to the Volta Technical Institute some technical and vocational training tools for their practical lessons to help enhance effective teaching and learning as well as enable students acquire the requisite skills expected of them before completing their second cycle education.
Items presented by IET Ghana to Volta Technical Institute
“We are here today to donate tools and equipment to Volta Technical Institute to enhance the teaching and learning of the students, that is the main reason why IET Ghana is here today. But I will urge the students and then the teachers to take these tools and equipment very seriously. They should be able to manage it so that at the end of the day the students will gain whatever they want to gain out of this,” Eng. Nestor Amekah advised.
Eng. Nestor Amekah, Volta Regional Chairman, IET Ghana
The Volta Regional Chairman of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, Ghana, Eng. Nestor Amekah, also underscored the significance of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in national economic growth, stressing that gone are the days technical students were regarded as school drop-outs and that TVET has come to stay.