The Constriants of Ghanaian Polytechnics in Adopting Competency Based Training (CBT): The Case of a Pilot-Tested Programme

Abstract

Polytechnics in Ghana view Competency Based Training (CBT) as a major intervention to the perennial constraints confronting its education and training. On the basis of this, and by government policy, a pilot programme of CBT was instituted in all the 10 polytechnics of Ghana, and was pilot tested in, at least, one department. Agricultural Engineering was piloted in the three study Polytechnics namely; Tamale, Bolgatanga and Wa polytechnics. This study was therefore aimed at finding the constraints of the pilot programme. A sample size of 151 was then drawn out of a population of 240, including both students and lecturers. On survey administration, 145 questionnaires were retrieved, giving a response rate of 96.0%. The findings of the study revealed that CBT programme is undoubtedly career focused and career oriented as compared to the traditional education. However, the polytechnics need to further build their capacity to handle the CBT programmme in terms of human resource, adequate infrastructure and modern equipment. Also, in the absence of electronic libraries, the polytechnic libraries still harbour obsolete reference books and materials. Therefore there is the need for an e-library to improve the capacity of the stock reference materials, while the curricula of the polytechnics be made more relevant to industry by involving members of industry and other stakeholders among other things.

Keywords: Competency Based Training, Constraints, Pilot Programme, Polytechnics, Ghana.