By Mohammed Balu
Tumu, (UW/R), Feb. 21, GNA – The Tumu College of Education in the Sissala East Municipality has enrolled a total of 255 students comprising 121 males and 134 females, to begin a four-year bachelor’s Degree programme.
Professor Abdul-Mumin Selanwiah Salifu, the Principal of the Tumu College of Education, administered the oath and advised the students to strive to achieve academic excellence, which could only be achieved through hard work, dedication, and self-discipline.
Professor Salifu noted that the selection process was very competitive, as over 1,500 qualified applicants selected the College as their first choice.
He said although the Collage received 1,734 applications from candidates as their first-choice school, only 1,567 met the minimum requirements.
“For the second choice, we had 654 and the third choice was 786. In all, 3,174 applicants expressed interest to be admitted into the College,” he said.
Prof. Salifu said the College currently runs two main academic programmes which were the Early Grade and Primary Grade options.
Thus, of the students admitted this year, 116 were admitted into the Early Grade alternative while 139 would be in the Primary Grade option.
However, the College had now unofficially received the green light to run the Junior High School option and were hopeful that they would have students opting for that category in the next academic year when it was officially introduced, he said.
The Principal said the College was one of the six educational training institutions that were affiliated to the University for Development Studies (UDS), Tamale.
He said the College was previously affiliated to the University of Cape Coast until about four years ago when it signed an affiliation agreement with the UDS, which had since provided it with an oversight academic mentorship, to ensure a strict adherence to the quality standards in the preparation of the teacher trainees on the National Teacher Education Curriculum Framework and the National Teaching Standards.
Prof. Salifu entreated the matriculants to take solace and inspiration from the continuing students, to avoid any problems or repeating the mistakes of their seniors, to improve on the gains so far made.
He further advised them to make good use of the available resources including the library and internet service, to make their academic work easier.
The Four-Year B.Ed. Programme is designed to prepare new teachers to become effective, engaging, inspirational, and fully prepared to teach the basic school curriculum, to improve the learning outcomes and life chances of all learners as set out in the National Teacher’s Standard (NTS).
Prof. Salifu indicated one key component of the 4-Year B.Ed. programme, which was different from the Diploma Programme was the Supported Teaching in School (STS).
He said the STS which used to be known as “Teaching Practice,” now started from the first year through to the fourth year, with different levels of emphasis.
“We have always had only two batches on campus. The current system of having all batches on campus at the same time and this is likely to overstretch our few facilities at a stretch,” the principal said.
He appealed to the government for assistance to expand its students’ hostel facilities to cater for the rising numbers, especially ladies, and further enhance its lecture halls.
Whilst acknowledging government’s efforts at supporting the Colleges of Education to attain their tertiary status, he appealed for an increase in the Book and Research allowance for their teachers to the equivalence of their colleagues in the public Universities.
He reminded the students that they were to take full responsibility for their actions and inactions in the school.
GNA