Offinso Training College celebrates golden jubilee

Offinso (Ash), Oct. 21, GNA - The Offinso Training College will launch the celebration of its Golden Jubilee celebration on Thursday, November 3, at the Wesley Methodist Cathedral at Adum in Kumasi. Though details of the programme had not yet been made public, the College would undertake some activities as part of the celebration. The College was established in February 1955 by the Methodist Church at Offinso in a two-storey building provided by Opanin Kwadwo Krah for women to undergo a two-year certificate 'B' training. Mr P.K. Opoku, Principal of the college who gave a background of its establishment said the college started with 30 women students with Miss Dorothy M. Turnbull as the first Principal with three others as tutors, a clerk/bursar.

The College, he said, moved to its present site in January 1966, a year after the Government's policy to abolish the certificate 'B' course for a four-year certificate 'A' course.

In September 1971, the College was turned into a mixed school and as a result 73 third-year men from the Aduman Training College were transferred there, he said.

Mr Opoku said with the College now a mixed institution, Mr Amos Kwasi was appointed the first Principal in 1972.

In 1974, a two-year post-secondary training course was also introduced and the College admitted the first batch of 70 post-secondary school students.

On the academic front, the Principal said the college had to withdraw 29 students as a result of nationwide mass failure at the end of first-year promotion examination in 2004, pointing out that it was an unusual experience in the life of the College.

Mr Opoku said the College was now a force to reckon with in sports, having won the football championship for Teacher Training Colleges in Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo for two consecutive years. On discipline, he said, the recent student demonstration over water shortage has however dented the image of the college.