University Don Calls For Enduring Teacher Training Scheme

Accra,(Greater Accra) 6 Nov. Professor Nathaniel Kofi Pecku, Principal of University College of Education, Winneba (UCEW) , today called for a comprehensive debate among stakeholders in education to chart a clear path for an enduring teacher education philosophy. " I personally think we should de-emphasise theory in favour of Pedagogy. At best theory should be firmly linked to practice", he said Prof. Pecku was concluding the three-day Armstrong-Amissah Memorial Lectures under the general theme: "Teacher Education in Ghana : Evolution and Prospects. It was organised by the Past Student of Wesley College to immortalize the memories of the fore-runners of the college. His final piece dubbed: "Future Prospects; the way forward", led his audience through alleys of education history, theories and philosophies. "Theory must inform practice while practice refine theory" he said. Prof Pecku said teacher training programmes must see to the humanistic aspects of teaching so that teachers could learn to exist as "a human being" within the community in which they teach. Education of the teacher, he said, should not be confined to pre- service training, adding that the in-service training programmes have proved to be useful especially in the whetting of the skills of beneficiaries. Prof Pecku asked educational institutions to be partners in the teacher training process by intensifying their monitoring and assessment procedures on trainee teachers who do their internship under them. " Training colleges should also establish a permanent link between basic schools and their products in order to build useful data bases for future innovations", he said. He called for the strengthening of primary education in order to prepare pupils enough to survive " the harsh realities of post- primary levels " Prof Pecku asked teachers to take up the challenge of enhancing education in Ghana since they have a stake in the development of the nation. Mrs Rose Akyeampong, a director at the Ministry of Education who presided, assured the nation that the problems besetting the current educational programme would soon be overcome. She asked teachers to be committed and disciplined since the country has lost a lot of revenue through the recklessness and apathetic stance of some teachers. She called for the reduction of the population growth rate "since the country's current population rate of three per cent in relation to the enrolment rate of 1.8 per cent does not augur well for the FCUBE programme." Mrs Akyeampong urged communities to own and support their schools " because we have all these years seen them as alien establishments".