Kumasi, Feb. 8, GNA - The Ministry of Education and the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE), are holding discussions with public universities to initiate "tailor-made programmes" for Teacher Training Colleges in the country, to upgrade the qualification of staff. This is to ensure the smooth transition of the Colleges to the tertiary status to facilitate quality teaching for the benefit of the nation.

Mr. Paul Effah, Executive Secretary of the NCTE, made these known at the Seventh Graduation Ceremony of Wesley College on the theme " Preparing the Next Generation of Teachers for Service", in Kumasi on Saturday.

He said that the NCTE recently organised a workshop on strategic planning to assist the Colleges to undertake a process of self-examination to help identify their strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities as well as its priorities during this crucial period of transformation.

Mr. Effah indicated that government had planned to improve the conditions of service of personnel of the Colleges to attract and retain qualified teaching and support staff. He said authorities of tertiary institutions in the country were responsibility for addressing issues relating to immorality, including drug abuse, drunkenness, homosexuality and occultism, as well as examination malpractices in schools. Mr. Effah said such decadence affected the development of the youth, educational institutions and the country at large. He said "While I urge the administration of the Colleges to be vigilant and flush out any such bad nuts among students, I challenge the students to endeavour to report any of their colleagues with these bad habits to the College authorities".

Mr. Badu-Fordjour Anyan, Principal of Wesley College, said the institution had 96 per cent pass out of the over 300 candidates presented for the Teacher Training Examination last year. He advised the graduands to be hard working now that they were going to the field to practice the profession. In all, 360 students graduated and were issued with Diploma in Basic Education after three years studies.