INTERIM COUNCILS OF 2 COLLEGES OF EDUCATION ...In Upper West (PAGE 42, NOV 24, 2010)

THE Upper West Regional Minister, Alhaji Issahaque Salia, has observed that colleges of education are the live-wire of the country’s educational system.
He has, therefore, suggested that the colleges must be made to function at optimal level in order to ensure that the sector lived up to expectation.
The regional minister was speaking at the inauguration of the interim councils of the N.J. Ahmaddiya and Tumu Colleges of Education at a ceremony in Wa.
He called on members of the councils to appreciate the enormity of the task ahead of them and brace themselves to move into full gear to solve problems to be encountered.
Alhaji Salia said due diligence had to be conducted to ensure that those chosen to the councils were capable people who could steer the affairs of the colleges successfully.
“Looking around, I have no doubt that we have made the right choices and can confidently look forward to the best results,” he told the council members.
According to him, the councils were even more relevant in the light of the elevation of institutions to the status of colleges of education which in itself imposed a responsibility of an enhanced delivery and the training of students who would be able to contribute meaningfully in the educational sector.
“We expected that you accept your choice to this councils as an honour to serve your people to the best of our ability, recognising the fact that you are dealing with institutions that are responsible for training teachers at the very foundation of education,” Alhaji Salia said.
He stressed the need to use the Montessori curriculum type of teaching, which stimulates self — learning and creativity at the foundation levels of the educational ladder.
Alhaji Salia assured the councils of total government support in the execution of their duties.
For his part, the Chairman of the Tumu College of Education, Professor Stephen Kendie, on behalf of the councils, gave the assurance that they would work hard to justify the confidence reposed in them.
He called for co-operation of all stakeholders in the educational sector to ensure their success in the task ahead.
The Principal of N.J. Ahmaddiya College of Education, Mr Oduro Yeboah, thanked the government for the numerous projects being undertaken in the two colleges but asked for more.
He pledged the support of the colleges to their new status and urged the government to do all in its power to ensure the passage of the Colleges of Education Bill.