By Yussif Ibrahim
Kumasi, Oct. 16, GNA – The Jackson College of Education (JCE), has held its 11th congregation where 1,558 students received certificates in various fields of study for successfully completing their courses.
This brings to over 18,000 teachers trained so far by the College through distance learning since its establishment in 2009.
With 32 learning centres across 13 regions, JCE offers sound education and opportunities to post senior high school individuals interested in pursuing the teaching profession.
The goal is to increase access to teacher training facilities nationwide to complement the efforts of the Government towards teacher education.
The congregation, which was held virtually was on the theme: “Future-Ready Education: Empowering Minds and Shaping Futures, the Role of Distance Education”.
Mrs. Theodosia Jackson, Principal of the College, said the school offered a well-structured and learner-oriented distance education programme tailored to fulfill the educational curriculum requirements of the Ministry of Education.
She said the College had always adhered to statutory requirements and ensured quality tuition exceeding the quality control procedures put in place by the mentor institution and the regulator – University of Education, Winneba, and Ghana Tertiary Education Commission.
The College, she said, would continue to train highly skilled teachers prepared to teach in the remotest parts of the country where products of other colleges refused to teach.
Mrs. Jackson implored the graduands to eschew corrupt practices such as paying money to change their postings, absenteeism and pilfering of school property as they transitioned into the field of work.
They should uphold the core values of JCE, which were integrity, life-long learning, respect, and stewardship wherever they found themselves.
She entreated them to adhere to the philosophy of the school, which encourages teachers to work in underserved and rural communities to bring hope and a brighter future to children in those communities.
Dr William Amankrah Appiah, the Ashanti Regional Director of Education, said being future ready meant preparation and planning must start now to identify unforeseen setbacks and plan towards their mitigation.
He said teachers were the most critical human resources in the development of the country and the current generation, adding that, shaping the minds of the Ghanaian child to compete globally required highly skilled teachers.
To be able equip the Ghanaian child with the 21st century skills required teachers who were emotionally intelligent, technologically advanced, pedagogically sound and culturally diverse, he said.
He praised the founders of the College for their immense contribution to teacher education in the country, saying that their efforts were critical to the promotion of quality education in Ghana.
Nana Kwaku Agyei Yeboah, Chief Executive Officer of Student Loan Trust, said establishing and nurturing a vision for 14 years was no mean an achievement, and applauded founders of the College for sustaining it all these years.
He said education was the foundation on which development thrived hence it was important for private participation to augment government’s efforts.
Also, the role of JCE and other private institutions were complementing policy interventions being rolled out by the Government to accelerate professional development of teachers, he noted.
GNA