Reverend Dr Victor Okoe Abbey, the Acting Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, has called on the Government to constitute governing councils for the country’s colleges of education to enhance teaching and learning.
He said failure by government to actively involve governing councils when converting colleges into universities was unlawful as the colleges needed the councils to be able to operate well and legally.
Rev. Dr Abbey said this at the launch in Accra of the 90th Anniversary Celebration of the Presbyterian Women’s College of Education, Aburi.
The celebration is on the theme: “90 Years of Training Female Teachers: Acknowledging the Past, Celebrating the Present and Planning for the Future”.
“For over a year now our colleges of education are operating without their governing councils. May we know the reason why it is taking so long a time to satisfy this legal requirements?” Rev. Abbey asked.
The Acting Moderator noted that policy makers would be doing the nation a great disservice if they did not appreciate the contributions made by the Church towards education.
He called on the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to value the contributions of the Church and treat it with respect.
“If the policy makers think that they pay the teachers so they can do everything without the Church or other stakeholders, then they are doing a great disservice to the nation”, Rev. Dr Abbey said.
Rev. Dr Abbey underscored the need for collaborative efforts between the Church and the educational sector to work in unity to ensure development.
He commended the College for transforming the lives of many women over the years.
Dr Mrs Harriet Naki Amui, the Principal of the College, urged the students to strive to become women of substance, exhibiting professionalism in every facet of life.
She urged them to desist from all forms of negative practices that may bring the teaching profession into disrepute.
Activities lined up for the celebration include food bazaar/cook art contest, lecture, graduation, choral festival and inter-hall quiz competition.
Others are candle light procession, games, pilgrimage, health screening, blood donation, durbar, thanksgiving service and dinner dance.