The Tumu College of Education has awarded diploma certificates to 1,322 graduates who completed sandwich courses in Early Childhood/Basic Education Certificates between 2013 and 2017.

The presentation was made at the 2nd congregation of the College at Tumu in the Upper West Region.

Mr Adams Kaleo Bertinus, the Principal of the College, commended past and present governments for the various roles they played towards the expansion and improvement of educational facilities in the country.

He said some of the efforts made in the sector include: the Free Senior High School policy, the re-introduction of the Teacher Trainee Allowance, the introduction of the new Teacher Education Reforms, the implementation of the National Teachers’ Standards, the National Teacher Education Curriculum Framework and the upgrading of all colleges of education to degree awarding institutions to be affiliated to five public universities.

Mr Bertinus said the notion of affiliation in relation to Colleges of Education should be left with the various colleges and universities by allowing them to choose which universities they would want to affiliate with, to be in line with the Colleges of Education Act (Act 847) (2012) and in accordance with the current Statutes of the Colleges of Education.

In a bid to promote hard work and excellence, he pledged a refund of examination fees of any student who comes out with ‘A’s in all courses of a semester.

“It is my hope that when the College Council is reconstituted, which I hope will be done soon, it will take upon itself to institute a more sustainable meritorious award for outstanding performance for every semester and for all levels,” he said.

Mr Bertinus said the Tumu College of Education could boast of students always passing out with 100 per cent marks, however it was yet to institute an award to that effect.

He said the College prides itself with decent conduct of examinations as the students exhibit a high sense of discipline and comportment during examinations, adding that staff also exhibit the required discipline and commitment during supervision and invigilation.

The Principal of the College appealed to the Municipal Chief Executive for the area to return the water facility provided by the GTZ to be used by the college community to pave way for the re-accreditation process by the National Accreditation Board come August, 2018.

Mr Ridwan Abass Dauda, the Member of Parliament for Sissala East, urged the graduates to exhibit traits of diligence and commitment to duty when they are sent to their various postings.

He called on the youth of the area to strive hard to maintain peace and co-exist harmoniously with each other.

Mr Dauda called for maintenance of good environmental sanitation at educational institutions in the municipality saying government has awarded contracts for the provision of modern toilet facilities with mechanised boreholes.

Mr Karim Nanyua, the Municipal Chief Executive for Sissala East, appealed to the Colleges of Education to update their curriculum to ensure that they produce well-equipped graduates.

He urged Principals of Colleges of Education to take the advantage of the restructuring of curriculum of Colleges of Education by government to press home the request to make the colleges special professional tertiary institutions with different code of ethics.