We will upgrade some Colleges of Education to universities – Minister
The Minister for Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, says plans are far advanced towards upgrading some Colleges of Education into universities.
He said the decision was to offer such Colleges the opportunity to run their own programmes towards the development and transformation of the nation.
Dr Adutwum, who announced this when the new leadership of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) paid a courtesy call on him in Accra, said after operating between 50 to 100 years and even more, the Colleges qualified to be autonomous.
The meeting was to introduce the new leaders who were elected to office in January during GNAT’s quadrennial congress in Kumasi, to the Minister.
The Minister, who is also a Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe, said Cabinet was discussing a document on the upgrade of the Colleges and said after approval the necessary actions would be taken.
He assured the new leadership of GNAT of his readiness to continue working with the Association for the development of education.
“As development partners, there is the need for us all to think about how best to support the transformation agenda of the country, which stand the chance of turning around the development of the country,” he said.
Dr Adutwum commended teacher unions in the country, especially GNAT for their role in promoting the development of education in the country.
He urged them to use dialogue in resolving issues always to ensure peace prevailed on the labour front.
“As a matter of fact, my focus now is to ensure that teachers get the best of support in capacity building as well as enhancing their welfare,” he said, adding that a “teachers welfare desk” had been established in his office with the objective of receiving information and complaints about teachers and working swiftly to resolve them.
Dr Adutwum urged them to use the media to promote development initiatives and not for resolving issues.
Reverend Isaac Owusu, the President of GNAT, assured the Minister of their support towards the development of the various initiatives and interventions being implemented by the government to transform education.
He said the unions were only interested in ensuring the welfare of teachers and promotion of effective teaching and learning.
Other members of the National Executives of GNAT are Mrs Amanda Lucy Asamoah, Vice President; Mr Thomas Tanko Musah, General Secretary; Mr Nicholas Taylor, Administration and Organization; Mr Kwame Dagbandow, Deputy General Secretary and Mr Daniel Affadu, Deputy General Secretary.
The rest are Mr Ransford Kofi Nsiah Lolih, Treasurer; Mr John Mensah Owusu, First Trustee; Mrs Mercy Nabia Sagbil, Second Trustee and Mr Peter Korda, Public Relations Officer.
Source: GNA