Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Minister of Education has stated on authority that all those who did National Service and all those who passed their Licensure examinations will be accepted by the Ghana Education Service in September 2019 for posting. The Minister made this statement at the 11th annual Congregation ceremony of the St. Monica’s College of Education, Mampong-Ashanti on Saturday, 20th July 2019.

It will be recalled that sometime last year newly trained teachers from the various Colleges of Education in the country embarked on series of demonstrations to express their displeasure about the government refusal to post them under the Ghana Education Service to teach pupils at the basic school system. Most newly trained teachers agitated against a decision by the Ministry of Education to let them undertake a one-year mandatory national service as required by every graduate of a tertiary institution in Ghana.

In an exclusive interview with Mr. Kwasi Obeng-Fosu, a Deputy Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Education, he stated that “as the Minister has said, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa is committed to honouring his promises made to the Education fraternity. The Hon. Minister of Education after calculations is so sure of getting all qualified newly trained teachers employed by the Ghana Education Service in September 2019.

He further stated that, all members of any professional body have licenses to show and that is what makes you a professional, so the licensure examination was meant to professionalize the teaching profession. The Ministry together with Ghana Education Service will roll out the procedures for engagement in the coming weeks”.

The Special Guest of Honour at St. Monica’s College of Education 11th congregation, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh commissioned a four-storey Lecture Hall block, constructed with Internally Generated Funds (IGF) in honour of the Principal, Canon Mrs. Christina Sobotie. The Minister also commissioned the first phase of an ongoing 400-bed capacity Hall of Residence GETFund project. Both projects were dedicated by the Archbishop of the Internal Province of Ghana, Most Rev. Prof. Daniel Yinkah Sarfo and, assisted by Rt. Rev Dr. Cyril Ben-Smith, the Anglican Bishop of Asante Mampong as well as the Municipal Chief Executive.

Giving her valedictory address, Ms. Monica Nyee, a first class graduant encouraged her colleagues to accept to serve selflessly wherever they find themselves, including deprived communities.

The Principal of the College, Can. Mrs. Sobotie thanked the government and the Hon. Minister for approving the Book and Research Allowance for Colleges of Education and hoped for a speedy implementation. She enumerated on the significant increase in student enrolment with the college admitting 478 applicants to pursue the B.Ed. programme for the 2018/2019 academic year. Her challenge was their 1500-seater multi-purpose auditorium (GETFund project) which started in 2012 but has been abandoned.

Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, in his address described the new B.Ed curriculum as developed in line with the National Teachers’ Standards (NTS) and National Teacher Education Curriculum Framework (NTECF). These two documents were approved by cabinet in September 2017. “One of the key features as level specialisms so that, after a common first year to build a foundation as a beginning teacher, student teachers can choose to specialize in EARLY CHILDHOOD, PRIMARY or JHS. This is a change from the Diploma system where most student teachers qualified with a general qualification whilst a limited number qualified with an Early Childhood specialism” he added.

“We believe to change the paradigm of Ghana’s development; the teacher is the centre because he trains our most vulnerable and next generation of leaders” the Minister added.

He used the opportunity to applaud the staff and especially the Principal of the college for the infrastructural development and management of the college. He promised to complete the projects since it is a requirement with the introduction of the four-year B.Ed.