Should students from the Colleges of Education always be the focus of the GTLE results?

A Ghanaian teacher, and concerned citizen, Mr. Joshua Owusu Yeboah has talked about how reportage focuses only on graduates from Colleges of Education when the conversation about the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination (GTLE) unfolds.

In a statement, Mr. Joshua Owusu Yeboah who was the National Coordinator of the Teacher Trainees’ Association of Ghana (TTAG) expressed deep concerns regarding the controversial Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination (GTLE) and how people misinform the general public.

He advised that the media should “be guided and channel positive news” when GTLE news surfaces.

Mr. Joshua Owusu Yeboah writes

Should students from the Colleges of Education always be the focus of the GTLE results?

Whenever there is a news story regarding the licensing exam, the candidates from the Colleges of Education are the first students of contact with the media.

There is no denying that students in Ghana’s 46 public Colleges of Education receive classroom instruction, and anyone who wants to do so under GES is required to take licensure exams.

Nevertheless, the candidates who sit for the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination (GTLE) come from a variety of backgrounds, not just colleges! Education courses are offered by nearly all Ghanaian private and public universities.

Evangelical Presbyterian University College, Valley View University College, Mount Crest University College, Christ Apostolic University College, Spiritan University College, Ghana Christian University College, Presbyterian University College, Methodist University College, and Spiritan University College are a sample of these private institutions.

Furthermore, the majority of public universities, such as the University of Education, Winneba; Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies; Akenten Appiah Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development; University of Cape Coast; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology; and University of Development Studies all offer education courses.

Lest I forget, the majority of students that offer Sandwich and distance learning programmes offer courses that are related to education.

All of the students from the aforementioned public and private universities who want to work for GES take the Licensure Exams. So why is it that the candidates from the Colleges of Education should constantly be the focus of attention in the media?

The news has always been depressing, which is disappointing. However, records from the NTC show that students from the Colleges of Education have fared noticeably better since the GTLE was implemented in 2018, and the Registrar, Dr. Christian Addai-Poku can confirm that.

Again, six outstanding professors from the University of Education, Winneba led by Dr. Richardson Addai Munumkum, Senior Lecturer in Curriculum and Pedagogy at the UEW, did research that supports the high pass rate achieved by students from the colleges of Education.

Basic education is the cornerstone and base upon which all effective educational programmes are constructed, and student teachers from the colleges of education teach at this level.

With this, when both the parents and the students grow distrustful of the teachers from the Colleges through reportage from the media, it will go a long way to affect the effective implementation of educational policies.

Let’s be guided and channel positive news.

SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh