Induction of internship programme at UEW yielding good results

Winneba (C/R), July 20, GNA - The Director General of Ghana Education Service, Rev. Ama Afo Blay on Monday said that the introduction of the Student Internship Programme by the University of Education Winneba would enable the university to produce corps of well-trained teachers for schools and colleges in the country.

She said the programme, which made students to stay in the campus for three years and one year on the field (Internship) had run successfully for two years and reports gathered formally and informally indicated that the students had benefited immensely.

The Director General said this in an address read for her at the launching of the Institute for Educational Development and Extension (IEDE) Week Celebration and Internship Newsletter.

The occasion formed part of the celebration of the University of Education Winneba's (UEW) autonomy in September 2004.

Rev. Blay said that teacher education in Ghana started long ago but there had been a lot of criticisms about the way teachers were prepared and inducted into the real world of teaching.

She said it had been argued that, there was a gap between the theory that was taught in the university and teaching practice that was linked to the classroom resulting in the student teacher failing to link to what had been learnt in the classroom to the real situation in the field.

Rev. Blay explained that the four weeks off-campus teaching practice was mainly about classroom teaching. The student teacher therefore, was not provided with the holistic professional experience. It was in recognition of this deficiency in professional teacher preparation that the UEW was being commended for introducing the Internship, she said.

The Vice-Chancellor of the UEW, Professor Jophus Anamuah-Mensah who chaired the occasion said the university had embarked upon a new model of training, which would enable the students to develop philosophy including national research.

He said that teachers were important in every aspect of the development of the nation, since they trained the doctors, politicians and the national manpower requirements.

The Director of the Institute, Dr Andoh-Kumi said that currently, about 6000 students were pursuing distance education and hoped to increase the number to 10,0000 by the year 2005.

Mr Swanzy Essien who read the Director General's address launched the Newsletter, while Ms Tete Mensah of the institute inaugurated the week.