Government to implement new education reforms in 2007

Cape Coast, Dec. 10, GNA- President John Agyekum Kufuor, on Saturday said the government was adequately positioned and feverishly preparing to launch and implement the new education reforms in September next year to enhance education in the country

He said this would help address the socio-economic needs and be responsive to the rapidly changing technology and information driven global economy to make the nation globally competitive. President Kufuor said this in a speech read for him at the 80th anniversary celebration of Our Lady of Apostles (OLA) Training College at Cape Coast, under the theme "Human resources development in Ghana 80 years of quality catholic teacher education".

He said there would be significant expansion in the number of institution offering second cycle courses, and that Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) institutions would also be made to offer comprehensive education as contained in the white paper reforms proposal.

President Kufuor said it was in view of this that 31 Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) have been upgraded and provided with standard science laboratories and computer centres, in addition to the sponsorship of teacher trainers in the various districts. He underscored the important role teacher's plays in the human resource development of the nation, and said everything would be done to address their needs.

He said government's vision to fashion out a more equitable, fair, acceptable and sustainable income policy for all public sector workers was still on course and has not net been abandoned. The President said the committee set up to comprehensively review the salaries of public workers with the view of eliminating salary distortions was still negotiating and working.

President Kufuor paid glowing tribute to the Catholic Church for its contributions towards the human resource development of the nation, which he described as the key to the nation's growth and development. He announced that a programme to supply vehicles to principals of the 38 teacher training colleges was on course, adding that the government would soon establish learning centres of distance education throughout the country.

"The government would continue to support teacher training colleges and universities to train more competent and dedicated teachers", he declared.

Reverend Sister Elizabeth Amoako-Arhen, the principal of the college, in her welcoming address said the college has been selected as the centre of excellence in the study of mathematics and science at the teacher training level.

She said although the college had chalked a number of successes, it was still faced with accommodation problems and appealed to the government to assist it to put up new bungalows for the staff, an administration block, an assembly hall and a library.

His Eminence Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, archbishop of the Catholic Church in Cape Coast, who presided, gave the assurance that the church would continue to acknowledge and recognize the importance of the empowerment and education of women in the society

He urged the students to be disciplined and allow the good morals they learn at the college reflect in the communities in which they work. Awards were presented to deserving staffs and students.