Accra Technical Training Centre - Ghana

The Accra Technical Training Centre (ATTC) is a vocational / technical co-educational institution located at Kokomlemle in Accra.

The ATTC was conceived as a joint project by the Governments of Ghana and Canada “… To provide theoretical and practical instruction for the occupations as may be required from time to time”. Thus, from its cradle it was conceived as training institution to train skilled manpower for Ghana’s industrial requirements, and it marked the first major Canadian support to Ghana in the field of technical education and training.

The beginnings of the Accra Technical Training Centre dates back to the early 1960’s when one Mr. Arnold Doyle, the Director of Vocational and Technical Education or the Canadian Province of Saskatchewan conducted a feasibility  

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study for the establishment of a technical school in Ghana by the then Canadian External Aid Office, now Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Mr. Doyle became the Canadian Co-ordinator for the project when the Canadian Government commissioned the Canadian Province of Saskatchewan to implement the ATTC project

The Ghanaian counterpart to Mr. Doyle was Mr. Frank Hutchful who was then Ghana’s Director of Apprenticeship and Duty Chief Technical Education Officer.

Under the aegis of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of Ghana and Canada, construction of the Centre commenced in 1964. The External Aid Department provided architectural services and all constructional materials. In addition, nearly all the instructional equipment and furniture and the initial consumable training materials were provided under the Agreement.

The Government of Ghana provided the site for the Centre, Courtesy of the Ga traditional Council. Building materials that could be purchased locally, labour and paid all shipping costs. Additionally, all operating costs (recurrent expenditure), maintenance costs and the salaries of Ghanaian staff were borne by the Government of Ghana.

Meanwhile, in accordance with the terms of the Agreement, a substantial number of Ghanaian technicians were sent to Canada for advance training in vocational and technical education and instructor training in Saskatchewan. The programme was to serve a dual purpose, viz, to enhance their professional skills and efficiency and to prepare them for an eventual takeover of the administration of the Centre.

Construction of the main buildings was completed in 1965. An initial team of 14 Canadian Technical Advisors all from Saskatchewan and under the able leadership of one Mr. George Brown as the fist Canadian Principal for the Centre arrived in Ghana during the latter part of 1965 and early 1966 to finish the construction and equipping of the Centre together with the first batch of six Ghanaian Instructors who had by then returned from Canada and started the operation of the new Centre in July, 1966.

Formal opening of the Centre in July, 1966 as performed by Mr. Donald S. Macdonald, then Canadian Minister for External Affairs representing the Canadian Government and Mr. A.K. Deku, the then Commissioner for Education in the national Liberation Council (NLC) Government, representing the Government of Ghana.