The Have Technical Institute in the Afadzto South district of the Volta Region honours Dr. Prince Kofi Kludjeson – President of the Volta Development Forum, an NGO and lobbying group in the region, for his continuous support toward development of the institute during the inauguration of a reconstituted Board for the school recently.
Dr. Prince Kofi Kludjeson is also the Executive Chair of Celtel Network Company Ltd., a communication technology company and subsidiary of Kludjeson International Group of companies, and played a lead role in establishing the institute and supporting it since its establishment in 1985.
He was presented with a plaque that partially reads: ‘In recognition and appreciation of your immense and unalloyed commitment demonstrated toward the establishment and development of Have Technical Institute. We have the inner satisfaction and carry in our heart the uniqueness of your support. May the Almighty God continue to empower and increase you in wisdom and establish you in stature….’
The Principal of the school, Enos Darlyn Akpah, said the contribution of Dr. Kludjeson cannot be underestimated, stating many projects and facilities received by the school were through him and his love is unflinching. He also used the opportunity to thank the chief and people of the community for their efforts and the good relationship that exists between them.
Recounting the history, Mr. Akpah said Have Technical Institute was started in 1984/85 academic year as a private institute that was initially called Volta Polytechnic – as an initiative of the community with the objective of giving vocational education to the youth in Have and its surrounding communities, but was later absorbed by government – adding the current population stands at 1,482 students which comprise 353 females and 1,129 males respectively.
He said despite its obvious challenges, the school has not lowered its excellent academic performances in annual vocational and technical examinations of the country.
He disclosed that the school is currently offering programmes in mechanisation technology, automobile engineering technology, building construction technology, business studies and computer hardware technology. The rest are electrical engineering technology, electronics engineering, fashion-designing technology, hospitality/catering Management, mechanical engineering technology, welding and fabrication technology, and wood construction technology.
He said under the upgrading and enhancing of technical institutes by government, six of his departments have benefitted from retooling and training programmes for practical purposes. He said government, being sensitive to the needs of education, should kindly consider in the immediate future providing a new administration block befitting the status of a high-performing school such as theirs; describing the current structure as very deplorable and a death-trap.
In his address, the Chairman of the 13-member Board, Kennedy Kludjeson – who is also the Volta regional engineer of the Hydrological Services Department of the Ministry of Works and Housing and also an old student – said they will do everything possible to build and protect the image of the school and bring it back to its past glory.
He said the school was one of the best technical and vocational institutes in the country until the new educational restructuring, but pledged he will together with other members of the board do their best to support the school in its transformational agenda. Mr. Kludjeson has been very instrumental in supporting the school in various capacities which can be quantified in millions of cedis.
