UCC Institute of Education not a monster – Prof. Ocansey
The University of Cape Coast’s (UCC) Institute of Education, has refuted students perception that the College is too rigid and difficult in satisfying students’ examination performances.
Professor Frederick Ocansey, Director of the College said the College was not a “monster” and therefore the perception was a mere stereotype and erroneous because it’s focus was to build a culture of academic excellence of which all students must be encouraged to strive for.
Prof Ocansey who made these remarks during its sixth Excellence Award ceremony admonished students to demystify such stereotypical perception and manage their time well to attain excellence.
The Excellence Award, instituted by the Professional Board of the Institute of Education in 2010 was to help whip up the study and interest of teacher trainees to strive for excellence.
This year’s ceremony on the theme: “Enhancing basic education through professional teacher training,” saw 10 best graduating students with Diploma in Basic Education, being honoured.
They were selected from a total of 154 students of the 46 Teacher Training Colleges of Education nationwide that had first class.
Ms. Stephany Tetteh of the Tamale College of Education in the Northern Region, was adjudged the National best graduating student with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.932 and received a citation, laptop, printer, modem and GH₵ 2,000.00.
The nine other awardees received a citation, laptop and GH₵1,000.00 each.
Prof Ocansey said though people continued to complain that UCC’s College of Education was difficult, students who committed themselves to learning seriously and managed their time effectively, were able to achieve great success.
He said the award ceremony was relevant and critical in the life of the College as it did not only recognised excellence demonstrated by the recipients but created a culture of excellence among students at the University especially students in the Colleges of Education.
Prof Ocansey urged the students to adopt the virtues of hard work, perseverance and dedication to duty aside being excellent academically, and indicated that such ingredients were also needed for a successful life.
Rev Prof Joseph Obiri Yeboah, Vice Chancellor of the Trinity University College in Accra, called for the inculcation of a high sense of professionalism in the teacher trainee.
He expressed the need for teachers to be excellent role models in the society without compromise.
He said they must also be given the desired exposure to enable them perform better on the field.
Prof Obiri Yeboah said the situation where teachers were posted to remote areas throughout their entire profession was not the best and indicated that without exposure there would not be good teachers.
He urged them to be disciplined, dress well, lead moral lives, assess their students well and above all be good examples for their students.
The Chairman of the Awards Committee, Mr Nicholas Kutor, said the awards, since its inception had greatly improved standards among students as the number of them who obtained first class continued to increase.
He said First Class graduating students had increased from four in 2012 to 156 in 2016, a clear indication that the strategy was yielding the needed dividends.
In all, 54 students had received the excellence award since its inception. He added.
The Institute established as an oversight coordinating body of all the 40 public and six private Colleges of education across the country, develops the curriculum of the colleges, set-up exams questions and offer certificates at the end of their courses.
Source: GNA