705 Teachers Trainees Fired

....For Poor Performance In Examinations

Seven hundred and five first-year teacher trainees have been dismissed for poor performance in examinations organised by the University of Cape Coast (UCC)) on behalf of the Ghana Education Service (GES) in September last year.

The number represents seven per cent of a total of 9,160 candidates who wrote the examination in 42 teacher training colleges, including four private ones, across the country.

Out of the total number, 5,998, constituting 65 per cent, passed outright, while 2,353, representing 25 per cent, were referred. A total of 103 candidates did not write the exams, while the entire papers of a student were cancelled.

Speaking to the paper yesterday, the acting Director-General of the GES, Mr Michael Nsowah, described the failure rate as normal, considering the number of students who wrote the examinations.

Mr Nsowah stated that the dismissed teacher trainees failed in more than four subjects, while the referred candidates failed in three papers, saying that they would have the chance to rewrite their papers.

He said the dismissal of the trainees was based purely on academic performance and in conformity with examination regulations of UCC.

Mr Nsowah explained that the trainees wrote an examination in June 2004, but the papers had to be cancelled because of a massive leakage. The new results, he stated, were based on the re-written papers in September 2004.

Emphasising that teacher training should not be toyed with because it formed the bedrock of quality education in the country, he appealed to principals and lecturers of the various training colleges to support the vision of the GES to promote quality education at all levels by putting in their best.