The deficiency in the training curriculum of teacher training institutions, according to the dean of the School of Education and leadership at the University of Ghana, Prof Jonathan Fletcher, ought to be addressed urgently through a robust and activity-based type of curriculum, empowered by sophisticated technology that addresses the educational gap created by modernity.
Speaking on the importance of the ‘Transforming Teacher Education and Learning – (T-TEL)’ project at the 8th Congregation ceremony of the Accra College of Education, held on the 28th May, 2016, Prof Fletcher expressed the view that un-upgraded teacher training produces deficient teachers whose performance affects quality delivery of education. “That is why colleges of education must take the Transforming Teacher Education and Learning- (T-TEL) project which seeks to promote and improve the quality of teacher education in Ghana serious, and stop producing deficient teachers,” he said.
The university don disclosed that, the T-TEL Project is established to support institutional and policy framework for teacher education, review the teacher education curricula of the colleges of education, develop more student practicum, develop coaching guides for teaching of mathematics, science and English, and the training of principals and the management staff of the colleges of education in order to close the deficiency gap in the curriculum and training approaches of the colleges of education in Ghana.
Professor Fletcher added that, although majority of academic staff in some of the colleges have requisite qualification, there exist some others who do not yet have the minimum qualification required to teach at the tertiary level; and so “they must take advantage of the transition period from pre-tertiary to tertiary to upgrade their qualifications and update their skills before time eludes the unqualified tutors”.
The Principal of the Accra College of Education Mrs. Christina Bampo Henaku in her address at the 8th Congregation ceremony indicated that the college continues to improve on its staffing and staff development efforts. She said various efforts are also being made to employ the right caliber of new staff.
The Principal indicated that the Demonstration Basic School Block is near completion and when opened in September, will be used to provide practical professional training for trainee teachers to ensure they were practically equipped and prepared for professional teaching and quality delivery of education.
She congratulated the graduands and urged them to be professional in their duties as teachers, while upholding the tenets and ethics of the profession. This, she said will ensures the delivery of quality education which is needed to liberate the society from the shackles poverty and under-development of many communities in Ghana.
In all, three groups of students were graduated from two different diploma programmes with 218 graduands for the regular three year Diploma in Basic Education. Out of this number, six graduands representing 2.75 percent obtained First Class honours; 64 or 29.36 percent Second Class upper; 91 or 41.74 percent also obtained Second Class Lower; 50 students representing 22.94 percent had Third Class while 7 or 3.21 percent had Pass.
The other two groups were the two-year Sandwich Programme for certificate ‘A’ teachers. Ninety-nine (99) graduands of the 2014 class constituting 4.04 percent had Second Class Upper; 28 or 28.28 percent obtained Second Class Lower; with 47 students representing 47.47 percent obtaining Third Class and 20.20 percent had Pass grades.
The last group was graduands of the 2015 class with eighty one (81) students. Out of this, 4 students obtained Second Class Upper; 21 had second Class lower; 42 graduated with Third Class and 14 of the graduands had Pass grades.
The Overall best student of the regular class Mr Benjamin Amo was also adjudged the overall National Best Student for all Colleges of Education and was honored with an Excellence Award by the University of Cape Coast.
Source: Christian Yaw Adin-Adinkra / Public Agenda