'Let's address issues of quality education'

Akatsi, April 23, GNA - Mr. Akwasi Addae-Boahene, Programme Manager for Transforming Teacher Education and Learning, (T-TEL Programme) has noted that Ghana's socio-economic development remained threatened unless the quality of education in the country was addressed.

He was therefore, of the view that the matter of quality teacher education was an issue for all to prioritise in the country's national development planning agenda.

Mr Addae-Mensah was opening the 26th Annual Delegates General Assembly of the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) at the weekend at Akatsi College of Education, Akatsi.

It was on the theme: 'Quest to develop Ghana - the need to prioritise quality teacher education'.

Mr Addae-Boahene said though the State was responsible for driving the quality education agenda, teachers were the gatekeepers to make it work and could either be enablers or dis-enablers to the attainment of the goals.

The T-TEL Programme Manager identified the quality of training the teachers received as the challenge to the attainment of the quality education agenda.

He therefore called for an eagle-eye focus on the provision of quality education through the country's schools, colleges and universities, which according to him, was the single most important channel for ensuring availability of quality human capital for sustainable development of the country.

Mr Addae-Boahene said for the country's educational system to be perfect, there must be qualified and empowered teachers, prepared to excel in the classroom and should be critical thinkers and problem solvers.

'Teachers must demonstrate managerial competences, have repertoire of teaching skills, able to organise students learning opportunities, can use new teaching technologies and organise stakeholders', he said.

Mr. Addae-Boahene said the UKaid-supported T-TEL programme, launched in 2015 by Government to transform teacher education, was preparing the 40 public colleges of education to become tertiary centres of learning.

He said the Ministry of Education and all Governments were geared towards quality education for professional teachers to function effectively in basic and second cycle levels to the benefit of the children.

Mr Maxwell Quophy Blagodzi, Deputy Volta Regional Minister, called on teacher trainees to develop high sense of professionalism and commitment to their studies and provide same skills to children.

He said the work of the teacher went beyond the classroom walls as children and the communities required their help in the multifaceted challenges they faced daily.

Mr Larry Agbador, Volta Regional TTAG President, urged government to fast-track the restoration of trainee-teacher allowances to release trainee including the level 300 students from their financial woes.

He said the withdrawal of the allowance had in no small way affected the lives of students and that its restoration was God-sent.

Mr Agbador appealed for support for the fixing of the Akatsi College of Education girls' dormitory block engulfed in fire in February this year as well as support for the 30 affected students, and announced the proposed building of a regional TTAG secretariat in Ho.

GNA

By Dominic Adoboli, GNA