The now Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology (KNUST), which was then the University of Science and Technology succeeded the Kumasi College of Technology. The school was established by a Government Ordinance on 6th October 1951. It was, however, opened officially on 22nd January 1952 with 200 Teacher Training students transferred from Achimota, to form the nucleus of the new College.
In October 1952, the School of Engineering and the Department of Commerce were established and the first students were admitted. From 1952 to 1955, the School of Engineering prepared students for professional qualifications only. In 1955, the School embarked on courses leading to the University Of London Bachelor Of Engineering External Degree Examinations.
A Pharmacy Department was established in January 1953, with the transfer of the former School of Pharmacy from Korle-Bu Hospital, Accra, to the College. The Department ran a two-year comprehensive course in Pharmacy leading to the award of the Pharmacy Board Certificate.
A Department of Agriculture was opened in the same year to provide a number of ad hoc courses of varying duration, from a few terms to three years, for the Ministry of Agriculture. A Department of General Studies was also instituted to prepare students for the Higher School Certificate Examinations in both Science and Arts subjects and to give instruction in such subjects as were requested by the other departments.
Once established, the College began to grow and in 1957, the School of Architecture, Town Planning and Building was inaugurated its first students were admitted in January 1958, for professional courses in Architecture, Town Planning, and Building.
As the College expanded, it was decided to make the Kumasi College of Technology a purely science and technology institution.
In pursuit of this policy, the Teacher Training College, with the exception of the Art School, was transferred in January 1958, to the Winneba Training College, and in 1959 the Commerce Department was transferred to Achimota to form the nucleus of the present School of administration of the University of Ghana, Legon.
The Birth of KNUST
In December 1960, the Government of Ghana appointed a University Commission to advise it on the future development of University Education in Ghana, in connection with the proposal to transform the University College of Ghana and the Kumasi College of Technology into an independent University of Ghana.
Following the report of the commission which came out in early 1961, the Government decided to establish two independent universities in Kumasi and Legon near Accra. The Kumasi College of Technology was thus transformed into a full-fledged University and renamed Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology by an Act of Parliament on 22nd August 1961.
The University’s name was changed to the University of Science and Technology after the Revolution of 24th February 1966. The University of Science and Technology was officially inaugurated on Wednesday, 20th November 1961. However, by another act of Parliament, Act 559 of 1998, the University has been renamed Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi.
Source: Ghfinder.com
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