| Takoradi Technical University | |
| Motto: | Adwen, Akoma na Nsa ma mpuntu (Fante) |
| Mottoeng: | "Skills combined with Wisdom accelerates development" |
| Established: | 1954 |
| Country: | Ghana, Africa |
| Website: | http://www.ttu.edu.gh |
Takoradi Technical University is a public tertiary education institution (university) located in Sekondi-Takoradi, the capital of the Western Region of Ghana. Takoradi Technical University was established as a government technical institute in 1954 and became part of the State Tertiary Education System. Later, after the passage of the Polytechnic Law of 1992 (PNDCL 321), it was replaced by the Polytechnics Law (Act 745) in 2007.[1] In 2016, the bill to convert six out of the 10 polytechnics (including Takoradi Polytechnic) into a fully fledged university received the unanimous approval of Ghanaian legislators.[2]
The university logo is intended to capture the essence of technical and vocational education. The circular nature of the logo symbolizes the completeness of the training and education nurtured at Polytechnic. The motto emblazoned around the edge reads: "Adwen, Akoma na Nsa ma mpuntu" literally "The brain (mind), heart, and hands (skills) engender development."
The interior of the logo is an open book set against a red gear against a yellow background. The interior is intended to symbolize the technical and vocational education and training provided by the university. The Adinkra symbol of "Ntesie" or "Mate masie" (literally, "I have heard and I have kept it") is a Ghanaian cultural symbol for learning, which is set on a blue background with yellow waves representing the location of the institution near the sea.
The royal blue colour that encircles the emblems in the logo represents the global appeal of education and that "the sky is the limit" for all students. The fire red colour symbolizes hard work and personal sacrifices, which underlie success in all endeavours. The rich yellow colour encapsulates the wealth that results from the application of the skills and knowledge acquired through the unique education at the Takoradi Polytechnic.
The Takoradi Technical University was established in September, 2016 as a result of the government's policy to convert Takoradi Polytechnic, among five other polytechnics, to the status of Technical University.[3] In effect, since April 1954, Takoradi Technical University (formerly Takoradi Polytechnic) has existed as a government technical institute under the Ghana Education Service of the Ministry of Education. During that period, the institute offered programmes mainly at the Craft and Technician Certificate levels in commercial and technical subjects, awarding the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) and City and Guilds of London, United Kingdom. However, in 1990, the Ghana Education Service took over the awarding of the above-mentioned certificates.[4]
As part of the Ghana Educational Reforms, which began in the 1980s, the Takoradi Technical Institute and five other similar institutions were upgraded by the Polytechnic Act 321 (PNDC Law 1993) to become part of the Ghana Tertiary Education System. The Polytechnics, per the law, began to offer Higher National Diploma (HND) programmers in the 1993/1994 academic year. These reforms mandated that the polytechnics complement the role of the universities to increase access to tertiary education for the training of middle- and higher-level manpower.[5] A bill proposed by the Ministry of Education and considered by the Cabinet of Government in 2014 was passed by Parliament as an Act in August 2016 with the assent of the President, converting some polytechnics into full-fledged technical universities. In view of that, the Takoradi Polytechnic Council adopted the name "Takoradi Technical University", which has been duly registered with the Registrar General's Department of Ghana.Currently, Takoradi Technical University has three (3) campuses: Effia Kuma (Takoradi), Butumagyebu (Sekondi), and Akatakyi (Agona-Nkwanta). The Akatakyi Campus is the largest of the three, with an acreage of 152.3.[6]