By Abebe Dawuni
Yendi, Oct 13, GNA – The fourth Graduation of Bachelor of Education (B.ED.) (2022-2023 COTHORT) for 199 graduands of Saint (St.) Vincent College of Education Yendi has been held at Yendi with an appeal for more facilities to admit more students.
Dr Erasmus Kormla Norviewu-Mortty, the Principal of the college who made the call during the graduation said although formally inaugurated as an institution on 2nd April 2016, the college was established on 1st January 2015 the birth of its founder Bishop Vincent Somah Boi – Nai SVD, and on 1st January 2024 the college marked its ninth anniversary.
Dr Kormla said the college had 796 students, made up of 404 and 392 males and females respectively.
He said some lecture rooms were partitioned into offices, laboratories and computer laboratories while the only staff bungalow built with Internally Generated Fund (IGF) had also been converted into offices and a counselling centre.
He said the five projects of the GETFUND and Ministry of Education had been stalled either due to failure of contractors returning to site after their first payment certificates or due to non- payment of certificates raised for jobs already executed.
He said the college’s IGF projects such as the boys’ hostel, the new lecture pavilion were almost completed adding the staff bungalow completed, the 10 round mud houses with thatch almost completed any other completed building including the assembly hall, like the storey-lecture block, current lecture – block turned administrative block and a girls’ hostel were all donated by others mainly their catholic Mission Australian partners.
Most Reverend Vincent Sowah Boi – Nai SVD who doubled as founder and chairperson of the college council said it was important for the graduands to have faith in God for him to continue to inspire them as they prepared for their future after completing their training.
He thanked all those who contributed for the establishment of the college and those who accepted the invitation to attend the graduation.
Most Rev. Matthew Yitiereh Bishop of the Diocese of Yendi and friend of the college said the theme for the graduation “the role of the teacher in a disadvantaged rural school; the St. Vincent model” was important to critically examine topics such as the one in their bid to reflect on their role in the upbringing and training of their future human resource personnel.
He said the role of a teacher, especially in a disadvantaged rural school was to form the trainee for good stewardship for God and for their church and for their country and the Catholic Church believed in good and quality education hence its high investment and involvement in educational sector.
He said the Catholic Church was the second largest stakeholder in education next to the Ghana Government and it was an indisputable historical fact that the catholic church were the first to introduce formal education into the country with the view that education should inculcate into the child, knowledge of God, moral character and discipline, personal hygiene and environmental cleanliness.
Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama Member of Parliament for Yendi constituency said he was sure the graduands were ready to be posted to disadvantaged rural schools and hoped that some of them would be posted to places like zabzugu, Tatale, Saboba, Savelugu to gain experience in their profession.
He assured the management of the college that the road which was rehabilitated would be tarred and requested them to come for 15 street bulbs for the college after donating GHC 5,000.00 to the graduands.
Twenty-two graduands received the upper primary second class certificate, 44 received second class lower certificate and 12 graduands received third class certificate.
Seven graduands received low primary second class upper certificate, 25 received second class lower certificate and six graduands received third lower primary certificate.
The rest are in Junior High School one graduands received second class upper certificate, in Junior High School (JHS) French certificate, one graduand received lower class division JHS French certificate and one graduand received JHS French third class division certificate.
The overall best graduate of the fourth graduation went to Ms Nimako Oforiwaah Benedicta in second class upper division-French who also received GHC 3,000.00 donated by the college and individuals.
The best graduate went to Ms Agyei Raymond second class upper Division (Primary Education) and Ms Muniru Sakinatu second class upper (Early Grade Education).
GNA