KOFORIDUA Polytechnic now has a new rector in the person of Professor (Ing) Reynolds Okai, formerly of the University of Education, Winneba. He took over from Dr George Afranie whose four-year term of office has expired.
Speaking during his investiture at Koforidua at the weekend, Prof. Okai, 45, who is currently the youngest person to administer a polytechnic in the country, pledged to transform the institution to be among the best in Africa.
The colourful ceremony was witnessed by the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, fellow rectors of the other polytechnics, some traditional rulers in the New Juaben Municipality, including the Adwesohene on whose land the polytechnic is situated, and students.
The new rector said his vision for the transformation of the polytechnic would include strengthening its departments with highly qualified staff, improving the infrastructure, equipping the laboratories and mobilising funds to support development projects.
Others, according to him, would be the introduction of innovative demand-driven programmes such as Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech) and increasing access to Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes through distance learning by 50 per cent and Master of Technology degree programme (M. Tech), all by the year 2014.
Welcoming the new rector, the chairman of the Polytechnic Council, Nana Nkwantabisa III, said Professor Okai’s appointment had come at a time the polytechnic was facing many challenges, particularly emanating from the just ended strike action by the polytechnic teachers.
He appealed to all stakeholders to support the new rector to find solutions to the challenges.
Earlier, Mr Ofosu Ampofo urged the new rector to increase the number of programmes and modes of delivery as well as set up a scholarship scheme for brilliant, needy students.
According to Mr Ofosu Ampofo, the government had also embarked on massive infrastructural development in the polytechnic whose access roads were also being improved.
Professor Okai who was born in Accra on September 23, 1965, began his formal education at the Roman Catholic Primary School at Akwadum, a rural community, near Koforidua.
Between 1976 and 1981, he was a student at the Ghana Senior High School, Koforidua, where he obtained the GCE Ordinary Level certificate and continued at the Presbyterian Boys Senior High School, Legon, between 1981 and 1983 when he secured the GCE Advance Level certificate.
Thereafter, Prof. Okai entered the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, in 1984 and graduated in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.
From 1992 to 1997, Professor Okai studied in the Nagoya University in Japan where he obtained Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Mechanical Engineering for Biological Materials after which he earned a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education at the University of Education, Winneba.
Professor Okai has worked for more than 20 years in Africa, Asia and Europe with scores of research papers to his credit and had presented dozens of international conference papers some of which have been published in international journals.
He is also a co-author of four textbooks.
The new rector who speaks Japanese, French, English as well as local languages such as Ga, Fante and Twi, is married to Mrs Dora Okai and are blessed with four children.
* Picture DSC-3459:
Picture: Takyi Boateng
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