Colleges of Education tasked to set-up committees

Colleges of Education (CoE) have been tasked to form ‘Supported Teaching in School Committees’ that would have oversight responsibility for teaching activities.

The committees are expected to be chaired by Vice Principals or any persons with equivalent grade in a Teacher Education Institute (TEIs); and should include Supported Teaching Coordinator; Head of Departments; Action Research Coordinator; and Quality Assurance Officer.

Others are: Student Representative Council member; Assessment Officer/Examination Officer; Guidance and Counselling Coordinator; Gender Focal Person; and College Secretary/Registrar.

Professor Jonathan Fletcher, Key Adviser; Tutor Professional Development and School Partnership, under the Transforming Teacher Education and Learning (T-TEL) project, stated during an orientation on the draft National School Partnership Policy in Accra.

The orientation was organised by T-TEL to equip Colleges of Education (CoE) Principals, Vice Principals, as well as Regional, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Directors of Education (MMDDEs) on the draft National School Partnership Policy.

Prof. Fletcher said, the College Secretary or the Registrar or person of equivalent grade in the TEI should serve as the Secretary to the Committee and would have no voting rights.

The Committee could co-opt any person to assist with its work as and when it deemed it necessary.

He said the committee would be responsible for the selection of supported teaching Partner Schools in collaboration with the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Education Directorates and liaise with School management Committees or Parent Teacher Associations to look for suitable accommodation for Student Teachers, especially female.

Other responsibilities focuses on disciplinary issues, relating to Student Teachers in the Partnership Schools to keep the mentor up-to-date with issues; organise training to orient tutors on the use of the supported teaching materials, such as handbooks and the Student Reflective Journal.

The rest are; ensuring assessment of students during Supported Teaching periods and advising on the management of supported teaching finances and budget.

Prof Fletcher also said, as part of the broader educational reform, the TEI Appointment and Promotion Committee shall appoint a Supported Teaching Coordinator, who would serve a two-year term renewable for another term upon satisfactory performance during the first term.

Other portfolios created under the TEI includes Link Tutor, who shall be attached to a cluster of partner schools to serve as a liaison between the TEI and the Partner Schools; and Supported Teaching in School Supervisors – TEI Tutors, who shall supervise and visit Partner Schools regularly to assess the practical teaching experiences.

The programme also makes room for the selection of Partner Schools, that is, any basic school with the necessary facilities, human and material resources, to serve as a centre for supported teaching; and the appointment of a Lead Mentor, who shall perform roles essential for effective implementation of the supported teaching in school policy.

Others are a Mentor, who is a class teacher in a partner school where the Student Teacher have their supported teaching, the Mentor shall directly supervise the Student Teacher in the Partner School and plays critical role in developing the Student Teacher into a well-rounded practitioner.

Dr Eric Ananga, Consultant, Curriculum and Teacher Education Reforms, disclosed that TEIs are mandated under the National Teacher Education Reforms to develop partnership with basic schools.

He said the partnership was to provide opportunities for supported teaching and mentorship as part of teacher preparation to equip Student Teachers.

Dr Ananga, a T-TEL Consultant explained that the Teacher Education Reforms sought to ensure the development and implementation of a uniform approach to effective supported teaching in all TEIs; and encourage sustainable and effective partnership amongst all relevant stakeholders.

It also sought to prepare competent well-motivated and creative teachers for Ghana’s basic schools through partnership with schools that will serve as incubators for inculcating the required competences in Student Teachers.

Dr Ananga said TEIs were also to train selected teachers from the Partner Schools to serve as mentors to Student Teachers; and ensure that teaching and learning materials required by Student Teachers were available in the Partner Schools.

He said TEIs were also mandated to design forms to assess the competencies of Student Teachers, and orientate Student Teachers on their role and responsibilities within the Partner Schools and Communities.