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CETAG Threaten Strike Over Delay In Passage of College of Education Bill

Site Admin — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:08:45 +0000

Accra, Jan. 11, GNA -
The National Council of Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) , on Wednesday threatened to embark on a strike if Government fail to ensure the swift passage of the Colleges of Education Bill by Friday, January 20.

“If pragmatic actions are not taken to pass the bill, we would not be in a position to offer our services, notice of our intentions has been communicated to the various stakeholders,“ the group indicated.

Reverend Francis Kusi-Ababio, Chairman of CETAG, at a press conference, organized by the group in Accra on Wednesday, said the decision was taken by the Executive Council, following failed efforts to interact with the Minister of Education on the issue.

The Council registered what it described as the displeasure of government’s deliberate delay in the passage of the bill to give Colleges of Education the legal framework to operate as full tertiary institutions.

It said: “Our members are highly displeased because of the anxiety, frustration and low morale currently prevailing in the working atmosphere in the Colleges of Education and it can have negative implications on educational development in the country.”

Rev. Kusi-Ababio said “Letters or reminders written to her office on this issue have not been acknowledged, so we will no longer wait before taking the necessary action”.

He said though Government had promised to pass the bill before the end of 2011, nothing was done to fulfil the pledge and that the Council had still not received any indication that the bill would be passed when Parliament resumes sitting this year. Rev. Kusi-Ababio called on Government to take immediate action to prevent any negative consequence in the delay of the passage of the bill to developmental efforts in the country.

The Bill was laid before Parliament about two years ago, in accordance with the Education Act of 2008(Act 778), which provided the mandate for the 38 Public Teacher Training Colleges in the country to be upgraded to tertiary status and offer diploma certificates.
GNA

Teacher Trainees To Do National Service

Site Admin — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:48:08 +0000

Teacher trainees who have completed their studies at the 38 Colleges of Education will undertake national service effective next year, the Executive Director of the National Service Scheme, Mr Vincent Senam Kuagbenu, has stated.

That, he said, followed the upgrade of the Colleges of Education into tertiary status.

Following the accreditation of the 38 Colleges of Education to full tertiary status, graduates from these institutions will from the next service year (2012 -2013) to be enrolled on to the Ghana National Service Scheme.

Consultations with stakeholders are concluded to pave way for commencement of the process of enrolment, Mr Kuagbenu said at the release of postings of national service persons for the 2011-2012 service years in Accra on Tuesday.

He said the national service for teachers would be undertaken after the teaching practice of the trainees, adding that the national service law mandated persons who had pursued tertiary education to undertake national service.

Colleges of Education Law to be ready by December

Site Admin — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 08:25:17 +0000

Peki, Aug. 30, GNA- The Colleges of Education Law would be ready by December 2011 to give legal backing to the upgrading of Teacher Training Colleges in the Country into tertiary institutions.

Mrs Betty Mould Iddrisu, Minister of Education, gave the hint at the opening session of the 53rd National Conference of Principals of Training Colleges (PRINCOF) at Peki on Wednesday.

The theme for the six-day Conference is, “Improved Teacher Education; an Asset for National Development”.

“My Ministry is not just to effect cosmetic changes in the names of the Colleges but rather to overhaul their infrastructure, strengthen the administrative capacities of the Principals and also see to the upgrading of various categories of staff currently at post.

“The entire upgrading process has huge cost implications for the country and we cannot do everything at one go.

“We would therefore need to adopt attitudes of consultation rather than confrontation in trying to tackle the many challenges that are associated with the upgrading,” Mrs Mould Iddrisu implored.

She urged the Principals of the Colleges “to be transformational” in their “administrative management, as well as the teaching and learning process in the colleges.”

Mrs Mould Iddrisu also urged the Principals to inculcate in their students a sense of pride and professionalism which would ensure that the new breed of teachers do not spend 40 per cent of their official teaching time in the classrooms and 60 per cent outside.

“It means government is paying teachers to spend 60 per cent of the time out of the classrooms. You must set the example and the way forward”, she exhorted.

The Education Minister said the administrative budget for the colleges this academic year stood at 800, 000. 00 Ghana cedis in addition to a service grant of 1, 000, 000. 00 Ghana cedis.

She said a total of 173, 295. 00 Ghana cedis also went into investment. In addition, 15,998 ,000 Ghana cedis went into infrastructure development through the Getfund.

Staff development and research was also worth 1, 200, 000 Ghana cedis and 3,000 ,000 went into the provision of library books, Mrs Mould Iddrisu said.

“Government has also increased the monthly stipend for trainee teachers from 69.00 Ghana cedis to 249. 00 Ghana cedis. “This translates to 6, 750, 000 Ghana cedis per month covering 27,000 students’, the Education Minister said.

Mr Alfred Abugri Ndego, President of PRINCOF, said many candidates with aggregates 8 to 11 were now entering the Training Colleges following the decision to upgrade the Training Colleges into tertiary institutions.

“This is a very healthy development for the future of education in Ghana”, he observed. Mr Ndego urged government to increase the annual quota of students to the Colleges well above the current ceiling of 9,000 because “the Colleges have the space and the capability to admit more applicants to our regular programmes”.

He said this was necessary to combat the 60, 000 teacher deficit in the country within a short time. “We in the Colleges of Education wish to express our gratitude to Government for all the development activities which have transformed our campuses in preparation for and in connection with our new status”, Mr Ndego said.
GNAPeki, Aug. 30, GNA- The Colleges of Education Law would be ready by December 2011 to give legal backing to the upgrading of Teacher Training Colleges in the Country into tertiary institutions.