Berekum, April 15, GNA – Dr George Adjei-Hinneh, Acting Principal of the Berekum Traning Colledge has advised teachers to constantly upgrade their knowledge and skills to be able to deliver quality education.
There are several avenues for academic progression and professional development, he said, and urged teachers to take advantage of the local and foreign universities running distance learning programmes and online courses.
He made the advised at the fifth congregation of the Berekum College of Education to pass out at Berekum in the Brong Ahafo Region at the weekend.
In all, 281 graduands pass-out with Diploma in Basic Education; 28 of them had second class upper; 122 second class lower division; 109 third class and 22 had passes.
Mr. Adjei-Hinneh noted teachers held the key to human resource development since quality of human resource depended on the quality of education, adding that education was the foundation stone on which every nation depended on for survival and wealth.
He said to meet the challenges in the education sector, the College of Education had now been upgraded to tertiary level following the passage of the Education Act in June last year.
The Acting Principal of the College said the Institute of Education of the University of Cape Coast, which is the examining body and monitoring institution, has instituted an excellence award for students who obtain a first class from the five college of education zones. The reward will range from scholarships, computers to books.
He mentioned that the University had introduced five-semester programmes and urged the students to put in a lot of efforts to justify their stay in the College and not to be dismissed for poor academic performance.
Mr Adjei-Hinneh stated with concern that within the year, 14 second year had permanently been withdrawn by the University for poor performance, 18 third year rendered external candidates, four withdrawn for impersonation at the end of first semester examination and five other student had their results concealed for indulging in examination malpractices.
Mr. Kwabena Kyere, Chairman of the Interim Council of the College, commended the graduates for the progressive improvement in the results and urged them to be committed to public service and to their profession.
He entreated them to accept postings to schools in various communities in the countryside where their services would be most needed.
Mr. Kyere urged the teachers to be prepared to work had to excel in their profession and become focal persons in developing their communities.
GNA