Sunyani: Professor Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah, Vice Chancellor of Sunyani Technical University (STU), has appealed to the government to grant financial clearance for the recruitment of additional lecturers and staff. 'We request that the government, through the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) grant prompt approval for the replacement of exit lecturers and staff,' Prof Adinkrah-Appiah stated.
According to Ghana News Agency, Prof Adinkrah-Appiah addressed the seventeenth congregation of the University in Sunyani and highlighted that the institution spent over GHC250,000 monthly from their constrained Internally Generated Fund (IGF) on part-time lecturers. The congregation was themed 'Employability and Job Creation: Leveraging Technical and Entrepreneurial Skills Training', and saw 1,012 graduates receive certificates in various programmes including Master of Technology (MTech), Higher National Diploma, and Diploma for the 2023/2024 academic year.
Prof Adinkrah-Appiah emphasized that the IGF alone was insufficient to support the hiring of the required number of lecturers needed to meet the academic demands of the institution. He stated that the ability to recruit immediately upon staff departure is essential to sustaining academic quality and institutional efficiency. Despite a marginal increase in faculty strength from 249 in 2024 to 255 in 2025, STU continues to struggle with lecturer-to-student ratio challenges, with enrollment nearing 10,000 students.
To address these challenges, Prof Adinkrah-Appiah mentioned that the Management had developed a strategic plan to enhance faculty quality and capacity, which includes recruiting part-time staff and investing in the development of lecturers. In collaboration with Edinburgh College, United Kingdom, and supported by the British Council, the university recently conducted a staff training programme in entrepreneurship. This training equipped staff with the necessary skills to guide students in engaging in start-up ventures prior to graduation.
Mr Francis Tornyevide, a past student and guest speaker at the event, urged graduates to prioritize innovation and adaptability, emphasizing that it is not just the certificate that matters, but what one can do to change society. He encouraged graduates to reflect deeply, retool, and pursue ventures that provide fulfillment and productivity.
