Accra, July 23, GNA – The Transforming Teacher Education and Learning (T-TEL) is to work with five public universities to provide continuous professional development support to enable all Colleges of Education (CoE) lecturers and tutors to understand the new Bachelor of Education curriculum.
« We will seek to strengthen partnerships between partner schools and Colleges, guided by the new School Partnership Policy to ensure that experienced teachers are effectively mentoring student teacher in line with the National Teacher’s Standards (NTS).
« We will provide support to all Colleges to enable them to upgrade the qualifications of their tutors, within a four year transitional period, to meet the minimum requirements of the National Council for tertiary Education (NCTE), » Mr Akwasi Addae-Boahene, T-TEL Technical Advisor, stated at Koforidua, in the Eastern Region.
Mr Addae-Boahene was addressing a section of CoE Principals, Vice Principals, Tutors, Students and other Stakeholders, including; traditional leaders at the T-TEL Challenge Fund End of Project Learning Event.
The T-TEL Technical Advisor said the fund will also continue to support Colleges to achieve their organisational objectives and development plans through a Payment By Results (PBR) approach.
« We will provide funding for Colleges to use as they see fit to improve their infrastructure and learning environment…and we will continue to emphasise the importance of Gender and Inclusion, ensuring that, opportunities for advancement are available for all in an inclusive and supportive learning environment, » he said.
Under the educational reforms initiated by government, Colleges of Education are to be converted into University Colleges of Education and aligned with public universities to offer a four-year Bachelor of Education for September/October intakes.
From October 2018, all new entrants to the teaching profession will be required to study Bachelors of Education degrees offered by CoE initially in affiliation with the University of Cape Coast.
After one year transitional period, the programme will rope in other four public universities, as the curriculum offered in the CoE will represent a significant departure from previous practice.
The other four are; University of Education Winneba; University of Ghana, Legon; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi; and the University of Development Studies, Tamale.
Meanwhile, Enchi College of Education, through the Challenge Fund, has developed the Tutors Pedagogical and Teaching Learning Manual (TLM) Application Skills for enhanced Teacher Trainees performance.
Mr Emmanuel Adom Ashun, Project team Lead for the College stated at end of the event at Koforidua that, the college had addressed the inadequate use of demonstration in teaching.
« It also had a problem with inappropriate use of teaching and learning materials in lesson delivery, and inappropriate delivery methods in spite of content knowledge, however through the T-TEL Challenge Fund we have solved the problem. »
Mr Ashun said at least 80 per cent of tutors in Enchi College of Education have acquired training in modern pedagogical skills; 70 per cent of Tutors and Teacher Trainees are preparing and applying appropriate TLMs in their lesson delivery; and 70 per cent of Tutors and Teacher Trainees Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills had improved at the end of the project.
He said the College now has a resource room with basic tools and materials for the preparation and storage of TLMs, « this has encouraged and boosted the morale of tutors to develop appropriate TLMs for lesson delivery.
« The resource room is helping tutors, mentors and mentees to gradually move from teacher-centred approach to learner-centred approach ».
