Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh
The Minister of Education, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh has stated that amongst his proudest achievements as the sector Minister is the reforms in the Colleges of Education and the quality of graduates being churned out, MyNewsGh.com reports.
Discounting claims that he had referred to diploma students from colleges of education as poor, the Minister said his comment had been distorted by some evil political apparatchiks for political gains but the fact remains undiluted that colleges of education graduates are much better off under the Akufo-Addo led administration than the Mills-Mahama’s eight year administration.
The Minister in touting the government’s achievement in Education on Kumasi-based Nhyira FM monitored by MyNewsGh.com explained that he has supervised over various structural and academic reforms in the various colleges equipping them with the necessary accreditation and resources to run degree programs.
He expressed that a major concern of the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) when they assumed office was the low entrance requirement into the Colleges which left an impression on the minds of a section of Ghanaians that only ‘failures’ attend the schools but this doubt has been thankfully cleared under his supervision as he has increased the entrance requirement into the Colleges from four passes to six passes.
“When we came into office, NCTE’s biggest complaint was that entrance requirement was the lowest and so there is a feeling that those that go to Colleges of Education are University rejects because they went with lower grades. As I’m talking to you today, the entry requirements are the same for both Universities and Colleges. To stop that mindset, the requirements are now 6 passes.”
He continued that, students of Colleges of Education no longer seek to do top up programs to earn University degrees after completing because the Colleges have been equipped to run degree programs.
The Minister disclosed that his ministry has eradicated salary discrimination in the education sector as both graduates of Colleges of Education and University graduates are paid the same depending on the level one is teaching.
“A government that has brought about all these and continue to restore teacher trainee allowances, how can you quote me that I have insulted teachers?
We pride ourselves with the achievements in the education sector because no government has ever thought about Colleges of education than the NPP.” He stated.
