The acting Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Mr. Charles Y. Aheto-Tsegah has urged teacher trainees to work towards redeeming the sinking image of the Ghanaian teacher.

Mr. Aheto-Tsegah, in an address read on his behalf pointed to teacher absenteeism, lateness, irregularity, apathy and lack of commitment, as some of the bottlenecks which needed to be addressed, to ensure sanity in the noble profession of teaching.

The occasion was the graduation of 2,388 students from the Jackson College of Education (JCE), the first Private College of Education running a distance Education programme in Ghana.

It is a subsidiary of Jackson Educational Complex and offers a three year Diploma Programme in Basic Education through Distance Learning at 30 learning centres across the ten Regions of the country.

It is affiliated to the University College of Education-Winneba (UCEW) with accreditation by the National Accreditation Board (NAB).

He charged the students to go out and heal the wounds, which will contribute to uplift the image of teachers and be proud to be part of the success story of quality education delivery in Ghana.

The Pro Vice-Chancellor of UCEW, Rev. Fr. Professor Anthony Afful Broni said a nation may be endowed with resources, but it requires quality education to help the nation harness the resources to benefit humanity.

Prof Broni noted that we cannot rule out teachers as the bedrock in the provision of quality pupils in every human community and noted that teachers play a key role in the development of human resource in today’s world.

He said the most frustrating moment’s in Child’s educational career is to be without a teacher, saying there are indications that in some of our classrooms, especially in the rural areas, there are no teachers.

The child in such community cannot develop to the fullest potentials of becoming indispensable assets to the nation.

According to him, the changing paradigm in education calls for research-based system that can sharpen the pedagogical skills of teachers and called for co-operation of the universities and colleges of education to research into the area. He urged the students not to rest on their oars at their workplaces because “he who rest, rusts”.

Nana Otuo Siriboe II, Juabenhene, who was the Special Guest of honour, charged the students to execute their duties with efficiency and zeal, with which Shakespeare wrote, or Confucius taught as a teacher, or Leonado da Vinci painted as an artist, or Florence Nightingale served as a nurse during the Crimean War, or Yaa Asantewaa, mobilized the Asante nation to fight the British.

“Let us address ourselves to the task, not in any way underrating its tremendous difficulties and dangers but in sober confidence and good heart. We will stand with one another and in unity do our duty,” Nana Otuo Siriboe II stated The Principal of the College, Mrs. Theodosia Jackson, stated that the vision of the school is to produce excellent educational institution committed to the development of good human resources through the provision of good moral training and God-fearing principles.

She urged the students to desist from indiscipline and corruption because effective schooling requires discipline and good moral conduct.

Principal Jackson revealed that the mission of JCE is to assist the youth to acquire hope for brighter future, academic excellence, integrity, life-long learning, respect and stewardship as the core values of the school.

Mrs. Jackson advised the students to work hard to receive their reward as teachers here on earth. The Principal attributed the development of the institution to the commitment and dedication of the hard working staff and tutors whom she commended for sacrificing to produce the graduates.