Need for crusade against examination malpractices- Mrs Baiden-Amissah

Assin Foso (C/R), Dec.15, GNA - Mrs Angelina Baiden-Amissah, Deputy Minister of Education and Sports has called for a national crusade against examination malpractices in educational institutions. She said the increasing spate of examination malpractices could undermine the country's educational system and affect the credibility of certificates awarded by Ghanaian educational institutions. Mrs Baiden-Amissah, who is responsible for Basic and Teacher Training Colleges made the call in an address read on her behalf by Mr Kofi Mantey, Deputy Director of Teacher Education at a durbar to climax activities marking the 40th anniversary celebrations of Foso Training College at Assin Foso.

The celebrations under the theme; "Enhancing Human Resource Development Through Quality Teacher Education in the 21st Century - Prospects and Challenges for Foso Training College" also coincided with the launching of an Endowment Fund for the construction of staff bungalows and unveiling of a monument for the college. Mrs Baiden-Amissah who is also the Member of Parliament for Shama, expressed concern about indiscipline in educational institutions and appealed to Ghanaians to collaborate to safeguard the country's future. She was optimistic that the College would work with unity, commitment and shared vision for a sustainable growth into the future to attain tertiary status.

Mr Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Member of Parliament for Assin North, said the College had been selected among 15 teacher training colleges to run mathematics and science courses to redress deficiency in teaching and learning mathematics in schools. He asked chiefs within the area to help check encroachment on the college's land.

Mr James Bright Kwesi Mensah, Principal of the College called for an expansion and upgrading of the college's infrastructure to accommodate the increase in students in-take. On accommodation and mentorship for teacher trainees, Mr Mensah said it had not been easy to provide free accommodation and quality mentorship for the trainees. He therefore, appealed to Metropolitan, Municipal and District assemblies to work out packages from their common fund to meet the accommodation and utility bills for their sponsored trainee teachers. Mr Mensah said the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Ghana Education Service should also consider instituting some remuneration for mentors to motivate them.

Mr Isaac Edumadze, Central Regional Minister commended the pioneers and past students of the college for their tremendous roles to sustain the college and urged them not to rest on their oars. Mr Agyapong who later joined Mr Samuel Acquah, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the College to unveil the anniversary monument, donated 20 million cedis towards the Endowment Fund. About 61 million cedis was realised from the launching. Mr Sammy Otoo, Managing Director of Sammo Schools Complex, Cape Coast and an old student who launched the Fund also donated 200 bags of cement worth 11.2 million cedis.