'Be dedicated to the teaching profession, deliver outcomes' - Madam Ohene

Madam Elizabeth Ohene, Senior Advisor, Office of the President, has called on graduands of the Evangelical Presbyterian College of Education at Amedzofe to be dedicated to the teaching profession and deliver quality outcomes to children.

She underscored the role of teachers in the transformational agenda of the country, which she said needed motivation.

Madam Ohene, who was speaking at the 14th Congregation of the College charged the graduands to exhibit high levels of professionalism in the discharge of their duties.

“The teacher has to be at the centre of all that we try to do in education. If we are to transform our country, the teacher has to be at the centre of it all.”

Madam Ohene said the confidence the children needed to navigate life and compete successfully in today's world could only come from a teacher who would make them feel there was nothing beyond them.

Dr Dickson Tsey, Principal of the College advised graduands to aspire to greater heights in life.

He said it was important for them to take necessary steps to obtain a Bachelor's Degree after the Diploma to enable them acquire more knowledge that would help position them for better and greater opportunities.

He commended them for their tenacity, dedication and determination, which had made them “go through the cold Amedzofe weather”...and overcome the physical, spiritual and academic hurdles to achieve their dreams.

The Principal disclosed that though the outbreak of the novel coronavirus had made the year 2020 a very difficult and challenging one for academia, bringing academic work to a slow pace, the year under review had been eventful and the College was progressing step wisely.

On some achievement of the College, he said, seven offices and five bungalows had been renovated, while work was ongoing on others to take care of the increasing number of staff, using the scarce financial resources of the College.

Dr Dickson said through the support of Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Beddzra, Ho West, Member of Parliament, the College now has industrial gas cylinders and burners, ending the “era of 95 percentage use of firewood by the College”.

The Principal said, though the College had chalked these successes, it was still facing a barrage of problems, especially in the area of infrastructure and appealed for support to address them.

Dr Dickson said due to inadequate staff accommodation at the institution, most of the staff commute from Ho, Kpando, Vane and other surroundings to the College to carry out their duties, which was a great worry.

He said the four-storey ladies hostel that was started in 2009 by GETFUND had been abandoned at the foundation level, meanwhile female intake had been increased by 90 per cent, posing a great challenge to the institution.

“We, therefore, appeal to GETFUND to intervene in this twelve-year-old project that is still at the foundation stage, to enable us continue admitting more female students.”

A total of 206 students graduated with Diploma in Basic Education, with two obtaining First Class, 73 Second Class Upper, 85 Second Class Lower, 29 Third Class while 17 Passed.

Master Wisdom Azaglo, was adjudged the overall best student.