Wa, Nov. 17, GNA - Mr. Khalid Mahmud, Principal of the Nusrat Jahan College of Education, has appealed to the government and the Ghana Education Service to speed up granting full accreditation to all colleges of education to enable them provide teachers for basic schools. He said the National Accreditation Board had given the college only three years provisional accreditation to train teachers for the award of diploma but two batches of this category of teachers had already been turned out by the college.

He was speaking at the college's maiden matriculation at Wa at the weekend during which 240 fresh students were formally admitted to pursue courses in science and mathematic, social studies and technical education.

Mr. Mahmud said in view of the new status of the college it is also expected that tutors would upgrade themselves by undertaking Master's programmes that are relevant to their subject areas. In that direction, the government could support them to undertake sandwich programmes by meeting a percentage of their fees since vacancies would be created in the lecture halls if the tutors decide to go on study leave.

The Principal advised the students to recognize that they were pursuing a professional course and should therefore abide by the Ghana Education Service code of conduct since any behaviour that contravened them would never go unpunished.

"The college has the right to withdraw any trainee whom we find, will be a liability to the Ghana Education Service". Mrs. Winifred Dy-Yakah, Deputy Upper West Regional Minister said the government would continue to improve the welfare of teachers by offering them study leave with pay to higher institutions of learning to build their capacity and broaden their horizon.

She gave the assurance that the Regional Coordination Council would liaise with the GETFund and other development partners to ensure the college's request for residential accommodation for the tutors is met.