An educationist at the weekend called on the government to address problems affecting newly trained teachers, to enable them to efficiently contribute to educational development.

Mr James Mensah, Principal of the Foso Training College, noted that the inability of the authorities to sustain professional and social support for teachers during the early stages of their career, created stressful and frustrating conditions for them.

The principal was speaking at the graduation and commendation service for 165 final year students of the college, at Foso.

Mr Mensah said the lack of accommodation and the delay in payment of salaries among other setbacks affected the morale of newly trained teachers.

He expressed satisfaction at the results of the 'in-in-out programme' for training colleges, introduced two years ago to facilitate the production of competent teachers for basic schools.

Mr Mensah said: ''The programme has shown a lot of promise and most of the communities that have benefited from it, have commended my students, because it has greatly improved upon school attendance and whipped up enthusiasm among school children.''

He hinted that plans were far advanced to up-grade the college to a diploma awarding institution.

Mr Mensah said positive steps were being taken to improve the institution's computer and resource centres and the electricity and water supply systems.

He appealed to individuals, organisations and the government to assist the college to repair its roads, provide accommodation for the staff and refurbish the library.

He advised the newly trained teachers to abide by their professional code of conduct, and to upgrade their skills to enhance teaching and learning.

The Assin District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Kwabena Karikari-Apau, in a speech read for him, advised students against the destruction of school property.

The DCE said the assembly would ensure the development of education, and said part of the HIPC Relief Fund and GETfund were used to construct blocks of classrooms and to rehabilitate the existing educational facilities in the area.

He also said about 30 brilliant but poor teacher trainees were being sponsored to complete their education.

The Reverend Isaac Quansah, Bishop of the Cape Coast Diocese of the Methodist Church, urged the teachers to refrain from drug abuse, drunkenness, absenteeism and other vices in order to restore the good image of the profession.

He also advised them to avail themselves of the opportunities being offered by the distance education programme of the University of Cape Coast to acquire more skills and knowledge to facilitate their work.