Government to give more support to technical education

Dr Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister, has underlined the government’s determination to improve conditions at the Colleges of Education, to make them centres of excellence in the training of teachers.

The nation’s future, he said, depends on the quality of its education and that is why no effort would be spared to make sure that the right environment is created to enhance teaching and learning.

Dr Agyemang-Mensah said this in a speech read for him at the fourth graduation ceremony of the Asante-Mampong Technical College of Education at Mampong, where a total of 193 students graduated after a three-year post-secondary education in technical skills and were presented with certificates.

He noted the vital role technical colleges of education play in producing the requisite human capital for both the educational sector and the industrial environment and invited all stakeholders to support them to perform.

They need to work together to help “churn out graduates, who would influence the course of our education positively”, he added.

He urged teachers to uphold the values of discipline, hard work and morality.

The Ashanti Regional Minister expressed discomfort with the practice where some of them extort monies from students and harass them for unnecessary favors and called for an end to it.

Mr. Joseph Kwabena Onyinah, the Regional Director of Education, said it was about time that the public rejected the notion that vocational and technical training is for the academically weak student.

Every child should be encouraged to pursue and fully exploit his or her God-given talents

He cautioned teachers against aiding their students to cheat in examinations, pointing out that it is criminal for anybody to do that.

Teachers must rather teach and nurture children put in their care to grow into honest and responsible adults.

Madam Margaret Opoku, the Principal, said the college, founded in 1922 by the British Colonial Government to serve as a trade training centre, is faced with a number of challenges, prominent among these are, inadequate students and staff accommodation, a modern laboratory and the lack of tools and equipment.

She therefore appealed to the government and other stakeholders to assist tackle them and make things better.

Daasebre Osei-Bonsu II, Omanhene of Asante-Mampong, advised the graduating students to carry themselves with dignity to project a positive image of the College.**