Government to punish lustful tutors- Haruna Iddrisu

Tamale, May 16, GNA - Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Communications has warned that tutors who take advantage of female students for sexual favours and unduly reward them with passes in examinations, would be punished when their deeds are discovered.

He noted that such activities are not only immoral and highly reprehensive but also brought about indiscipline and laxity towards studies, since some female students took advantage of the situation and did not prepare adequately for examinations.

Mr. Iddrisu gave the warning in an address at the first congregation of the Tamale College of Education at the weekend. One thousand, four hundred and seventy one (1,471) students graduated for the 2007,2008 and 2009 academic years. The 1,300 students who were enrolled in the Untrained Teachers Diploma Education Programme, 1,273 passed representing 97 per cent, while 650 certificate A teachers under the Sandwich diploma in basic education programme also made it.

Mr. Iddrisu announced that all the training colleges would be connected to the internet before the close of the year to enable the tutors to use the facility for research and development to enhance teaching and learning. He urged the new graduates to accept postings to the rural areas and assured them that government would provide packages to motivate those who did so.

The Minister said government had given a directive to the Ministry of Education to recruit 20,000 more pupil teachers to be posted to the rural areas.

Mr. Moses Bukari Magbengba, Northern Regional Minister announced that government had allocated GHc 350,000.00 through the Ghana Education Trust Fund to the Tamale Training College of Education for th e completion of projects in the college for the 2010 academic year. He said government's decision to turn training colleges into colleges of education was in line with the provisions in the new education reform to make them diploma awarding institutions.

He said in order to assume their new status, the colleges are being provided with adequate infrastructure such as lecture halls, halls of residence, modern libraries and qualified staff. Mr. Magbengba said in line with the programme, six unit classroom blocks and modern library had been built in each of the 38 colleges whilst science laboratories had been provided in each of the 15 science colleges. He commended the staff of the college for serving as resource persons for the Ghana Education Service in many capacity building workshops for basic schools teachers and circuit supervisors as well as headteachers in various subject areas.

Turning his attention to the graduates, Mr. Magbengba told them: " Government has supported you during your training with the tax payers money and we expect you wherever you may be after this ceremony to work as teachers to serve the people whose sweetly supported you to the best of your ability."

"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 the colleges of education 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 review it to 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. 16 May 10