Kumasi, Sept 5, GNA- The Ministry of Education, Science and Sports has taken delivery of vehicles to be distributed to all the 38 teacher-training colleges in the country. Also to benefit are the Principals of the colleges and Districts and Regional Directors of Education.

In addition, the Ghana Education Service (GES) has been directed to work out a scheme under which tutors interested would be provided with motorbikes on hire purchase.

The facility would go a long way to improve the supervision of teaching practice and the provision of school-based in-service training by college tutors.

Professor Dominic Fobih, the Sector Minister, announced this at the opening of the 49th annual conference of Principals of Teacher Training Colleges (PRINCOF) in Kumasi on Tuesday.

38 principals in the country are attending the two-day conference, under the theme, "The Changing Status of Teacher Training Colleges in Ghana - Prospects and Challenges Ahead".

Professor Fobih said the government has taken some measures to improve the teaching profession, which included the implementation of a new condition of service for teachers and the upgrading of the programmes of teacher training colleges from certificate to diploma level.

Prof Fobih expressed his concern about the low turn out of teachers in the training colleges and said the problem has led to the GES relying on untrained teachers to support teaching. The Minister announced that the Ministry of Education would organize periodic in-service training courses for teachers to enable them to upgrade their skills to enhance teaching and learning. He said the government has also embarked on the construction of libraries, classrooms, science laboratories as well as Information Communication Technology (ICT) in all training colleges to enable them to improve upon their training efficiency.

He said the success of the new educational reform depended on teachers' hard work and asked them to be greatly involved in the attainment of the objective.

Mrs Agnes Ofosu-Koranteng, Principal of Asante-Mampong Saint Monica's Training College and President of the PRINCOF, commended the government for upgrading the status of training colleges as diploma awarding institutions and the raising of principals to the rank of Directors II as well as the introduction of sandwich programmes for principals to upgrade their skills.

She appealed to the government to provide adequate residential accommodation for both tutors and students in training colleges to enhance teaching and learning in the colleges.

Mr Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, Ashanti Regional Minister in a speech read for him, urged the Principals to use the period to take stock of their activities and adopt effective and pragmatic approaches to improve on their performance.

Most Reverend Joseph Osei-Bonsu, Catholic Bishop of Mampong-Konongo, who chaired the function, congratulated them for chalking 49 years and advised the principals not to rest on their oars but continue to work harder.