TEACHERS TOLD TO STOP HARRASING FEMALE STUDENTS FOR SEX

TEACHERS TOLD TO STOP HARRASING FEMALE STUDENTS FOR SEX
From: Joseph Ziem, Tamale
The Governing Council Chairman of the Tamale College of Education (TATCO), a teacher training institution in the Northern Region of Ghana, has cautioned teachers at all levels of education to put an immediate stop to the practice of sexually harassing female students or asking them for sex in exchange of marks.
Alhaji Mohammed Haroon popularly known as Cambodia condemned teachers in the country’s Universities, Polytechnics, Teacher and Nursing Training Colleges, Senior High Schools and those at the basic level, for taking advantage of the vulnerability of female students and pupils, to have sex with them in return for favours during exams.
He said the canker which is eating deep into the moral fabric of students who are currently leaving the nation’s higher institutions of learning, was painting a negative picture about the educational sector of this country.
Alhaji Haroon who is also the West Mamprusi District Director of Education, said this when he delivered a short address during the maiden graduation ceremony of the College held last Saturday, in Tamale.
One thousand, four hundred and seventy one (1,471) students graduated for the 2007, 2008 and 2009 academic years. Out of the 1,300 students who were enrolled in the Untrained Teachers Diploma Basic Education (UTTDBE) Programme, 1,273 successfully passed representing 97 percent, while 650 Certificate ‘A’ teachers under the Sandwich Diploma in Basic Education programme also excelled.
Minister of Communications, Haruna Iddrisu, who was also a guest of honour at the ceremony, in response to the Council Chairman’s statement, warned that teachers or lecturers, who take advantage of female students for sex and unjustifiably reward them with passes in examinations, would be punished when their bad deeds are exposed.
According to him, such activities were not only immoral and highly reproachful, but also bring about indiscipline towards studies, since some female students take advantage of that and refuse to prepare adequately for examinations.

Mr. Moses Bukari Magbengba, Northern Regional Minister commended teaching and non teaching staff of the College for serving as resource persons for the Ghana Education Service in many capacity building workshops for basic school teachers and Circuit Supervisors as well as head teachers in various subject areas.

He told students to work as teachers to serve the people (Ghanaian tax payer) who supported them to the best of their ability. Adding, "Remember that you will be assessed by the society not only by the academic qualification you have attained but your personal character, your moral conduct, your sense of responsibility and the value of your community and the entire nation".
Alhaji Yakubu Bukari, Principal of the Tamale College of Education appealed to the Minister of Education to inaugurate the Governing Councils of teacher training Colleges to facilitate the smooth management of the facilities. He also appealed to the government to reconsider its decision on the quota for admissions into colleges of education and increase it from 9,000 every year.

He said the colleges were under pressure every year to admit more students but could not do so due to the current quota. Alhaji Bukari said admission of more students would help reduce the high number of pupil teachers in schools.
Established in 1960 by Ghana's first head of state, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the College has consistently proven to be one of the best teacher training institutions in the country, probably due to the commitment and hard work of tutors and also the serene and beautiful environment created by the College Administration for academic excellence. At least, it can boast of one of Ghana's famous actors who is known by his big English Grammar, Papa Nii, as an alumnus, this paper has learnt.