�Colleges Of Education Must Be Treated As Tertiary Institutions�

A former Dean of Science at the University of Winneba, Prof. Damian Kofi Mereku, has advocated that the boarding house system at the various Colleges of Education be abolished. He argued that since the teacher training institutions have obtained tertiary status, it was important for students in these institutions to behave like tertiary students. Prof. Mereku pointed out that teacher trainees should be made to enjoy the social life associated with tertiary education, just like their counterparts in the universities. He further noted that the situation where they obtain permission before leaving campus, and the ringing of bells for dining, among others, must be stopped. Speaking at the 6th Congregation at the Peki College of Education, which coincided with the launching of the 60 Anniversary of the College at Peki Blengo, Prof Mereku stressed that the removal of the boarding system was very crucial. He said tertiary education does not only equip students to pass their academic examinations, but prepared them to think critically and take decisions that would promote the development of society. He pointed out that when students at the Colleges of Education look for their own accommodation like university students, it would enable them live with the community and learn from them. Prof. Mereku also noted that teacher education had gone through many reforms, and must, therefore, attract high class candidates to be trained as teachers. According to him, the issue of quality education had assumed both a local and international dimension, and that the various reforms experienced at the Colleges of Education, aimed at producing teachers of the best quality, did not yield the needed results. The Principal of the Peki College of Education, Mr. J.N.M. Baako, on his part, noted that students of the college had distinguished themselves in the area of discipline, which made it possible for them to record good grades in their final examinations. Mr. Baako noted that one of the major problems confronting them was the bad nature of the access roads, and appealed to the government to come to the aid of the school. The Principal continued that his administration was very worried over the delay in executing Ghana Education Trust Fund projects in the school. According to him, the projects, which were started long ago, have now become stagnant at the time the college need them most.