GOV’T SUPPORTS BAGABAGA COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

GOV’T SUPPORTS BAGABAGA COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Government as part of its plans to boost teacher training education in Ghana has supported the oldest Teacher Training College in the Northern Region, the Bagabaga College of Education, with vehicles, a lecture hall and a modern library complex to improve upon academic work.

This forms part of government’s policy direction to train more qualified teachers to correspond with the high enrolment in schools due to the introduction of the School Feeding Programme and the introduction of Capitation Grant.

The Principal of the Bagabaga College of Education, Alhaji Adam Zakaria, disclosed this at the 1st congregation of the college where about 243 graduants were awarded Diploma Certificates in Basic Education by the University of Cape Coast.

The College was established in 1944 with only 16 students but today can boast of a student population of 843 with a percentage of 21.9% female intake.

Alhaji Zakariah underscored the need for government to revise the quota for admission into the country’s teacher training colleges by increasing the current 9,000 to 15,000 to enable the institutions train enough teachers for postings to less endowed communities.

The Principal pleaded with government to tar the campus roads particularly the road leading to the ladies hostel and also assist the authority to build security fence to avoid encroachers.

A representative of the Minister for Education, Mr. E.O Asare who is also the Deputy Director in charge of Teacher Education at the Ministry of Education, announced a GH¢300,000.00 package for all the Teacher Training Colleges to complete ongoing projects.

The ministry would make available 20 computers to each of the training institutions to enhance the study of Information Communication Technology, he added.

The Minister for Education however cautioned teachers against using students as labourers particularly on their farmlands and urged the graduants to move away from that practice.

Professor James Adu Opare, Chairman of the Board of the Bagabaga College of Education complained that some professional teachers of Northern extraction were not committed to their job.

He said majority of such teachers were habitual absentees in their various schools which was hampering academic progression in the Tamale Metropolis and beyond.

The 66 year old Bagabaga College of Education has trained high profile personalities including current sitting Vice President’s father, E.A Mahama, Dr. Hilla Liman, Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, Abayifa Karbo , S.D. Dombo, Ishague Wemah and Issifu Ali.