NYEP-backed Pupil Teachers drop out of Training Programme

Accra, May 30, GNA - Most of the pupil teachers under the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) who enrolled for the four-year Distance Education Programme at Colleges of Education in 2007 have dropped out. This follows the Government's termination of their appointment as pupil teachers.

Mrs Christina Bampo Henaku, Principal of the Accra College of Education, who announced this, consequently, appealed to the Government to rescind its decision to enable the teacher trainees to continue with their education.

"I will appeal to the government to call back to the classroom the affected trainees to enable them take part in the monthly field support programmes and the end of semester examinations to be conducted in August 2010," she said.

Mrs Henaku, was speaking at the Second Congregation of the College at the weekend.

She urged the government to halt the practice of wholesale distribution of logistics to colleges but conduct individual assessment to satisfy the actual needs of the beneficiaries.

Mrs Henaku said her college needed basic amenities such as a Great Hall, a hostel, auditorium, an ultra modern administration block, Mathematics and Science laboratories and appealed to the government to provide them. It should also speed up the construction of a six unit classroom-block, which was being funded by the GETfund. She expressed worry about the resignation of teachers after upgrading themselves because of poor conditions of services and called for the passage of the Colleges of Education Bill to address challenges facing colleges of education.

Mrs Henaku blamed the College's inability to admit more qualified applicants on lack of facilities and logistics. "For the 2009/2010 academic year, the college received 720 qualified applicants, out of which it admitted 280 freshmen made up of 160 men and 120 women." The total number of regular students became 830," she added. In all, 513 students of batches of Diploma Students who completed their courses in 2008 and 2009 graduated. For the 2008 batch of 242 students, only one obtained Second Class Upper while 21 had Second Class Lower, 138 had Third Class and 82 had passes.

For the 2009 batch of 271 students, eight obtained Second Class Upper, 85 students had Second Class Lower, 153 had Third Class and 25 students also had passes. Professor Irene Kokor Odotei, Board Chairperson of the College, blamed the bad performance of the students on the lack of facilities and urged government to provide it with the needed fund for it to function as a tertiary institution. Mrs Kokui Adu, Executive Director, Student Loan Trust Fund, praised the government for its educational reform initiative since it would ensure the diversification of curriculum, provision of adequate equipment and the availability of staff. She commended teachers for providing the needed knowledge and skills required for the human resource development of the country. Mrs. Adu called on Education Colleges to develop attractive programmes and strategic plans in order to secure assistance from individuals and corporate organizations interested in Education. 30 May 10