Prof Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai
The Director General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Prof Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, has said that teachers were the architects of a nation’s future and therefore called for increased investment in teacher education since it was the foundation for national development.
According to him, the call for increased investment in teacher education was due to the fact that the quality of teachers directly influenced the quality of education, and, by extension, the development of our nation.
Prof Ahmed Jinapor made the call in a speech read on his behalf by Hilda Asante, Director of Corporate Affairs at GTEC, during the maiden congregation of Al-Faruq College of Education at Wenchi on Saturday.
The event saw three batches of teachers receiving diploma and degrees attracting educationists, parents, spouses and other well-wishers.
“By investing in the preparation and ongoing development of educators in this field, we are investing in the cultural richness, linguistic diversity, and national unity of our beloved country,” Prof Jinapor said.
The GTEC Director General commended the principal and staff of the college for the hard work towards the graduation of those noble men and women in the mist of many challenges including accommodation.
He stated that “the nation's human capital quality is closely tied to the standard of education it provides, with teachers playing a pivotal role in shaping this quality” and described the theme for the occasion, “Teacher Education and National Development, a focus on Arabic Education,” very appropriate.
Prof Jinapor Abdulai indicated that as the regulator of tertiary education in Ghana, GTEC will continue to promote the provision of adequate resources needed for the growth of the college.
“Our Teachers should also be trained to instill critical thinking, creativity, and a love for learning in their students. These skills are the bedrock of a progressive and innovative society. The integration of modern teaching methodologies and technology in teacher education programmes can contribute significantly to achieving these goals,” he said.
He explained that insufficient resources, outdated curricula, and a shortage of qualified educators were common obstacles and it was imperative for policymakers to allocate adequate resources, update curricula to align with contemporary needs, and implement measures to attract and retain skilled Arabic language teachers.
The Principal of the Al-Faruq College of Education (AFCOE), Wahab Sualihu, used the occasion to commend the founding fathers of the college which had undergone several changes to the current status as the COE.
He described the institution as the best COE explaining that despite all the numerous challenges confronting the young institutions, it had been able to chalk a great feat in both academics and other areas of endeavour.
The Principal mentioned lack of infrastructure as the major challenge confronting the operations of the college and appealed to the government to motivate contractors to go back to continue all stalled projects.
Again he mentioned lack of a vehicles were among the challenges confronting the movement of both students and tutors and other staff of the institution.
The Bono Regional Minister, Justina Owusu Banahene, who was the guest of honour at the function, lauded the board, staff and management of the college for their efforts towards the feat chalked by the institution despite all the challenges it had faced over the years.
She stated that the role of teachers in the development of a nation cannot be underestimated as they were not just architects of academic knowledge but also the builders of character and values that contribute to the holistic development of not only the individual to be economically self-reliant but also to be socio-economic development of the nation.
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