Latest updates from teacher trainees fraternity
Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) has released a press statement on the recent statement reportedly to have been made by the Hon. Minister of Education during a live interview.
Find the complete press statement below;
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Featured Articles – Wednesday 5th February, 2020
There’s uproar within the teacher training fraternity due to a comment reportedly made by the Hon. Minister of Education. In an interview, the minister is reported to have said that, teacher trainees have worst results and not qualified hence he prefer university graduates to teacher trainees.
Teacher trainees across the nation have taken to social media to register their displeasure to what the minister said in a live television interview. Whilst others are calling for his immediate resignation for demeaning teachers in general, others are just asking for an apology and retraction.
Read a post we chanced on social media written by Don Francis Hanoman Sr. a level 300 student of Atebubu College of Education.
The last week before universities went on holidays I met few of my friends from KNUST at CCC, Ayigya. We were having a good time until issues of education came in and Adelaide asked where I was currently. I told her Atebubu College of Education. She paused and asked “you paa? Training College? Wasn’t the results good?”
That wasn’t the first time hearing someone make that statement. Personally, the education minister isn’t the first person to think students at the colleges of education have bad results but my problem is the fact that being an overlord of such a great fraternity he should have had a better way of disavowing that notion. Sadly, he spearheaded it.
First of all, there is a few truth in his assertion because even as at 2016 CoE’s picked students with D7 whiles universities peaked at C6. So in a way, one could use that to accuse us of having a “worst results”. His “truth hurts”, maybe.
However, from 2017 downwards, nobody went to college with D7. Moreover, even if it happened that people went with it, who overlorded that initiative? Some days ago, a minister of state said very soon students would go to school (both uni, CoE and NCE) with D7 in Mathematics. Where was he Napo?
As much as we’re angry let us ask ourselves if personally each of us has a good grade to go to university. We’re not calling on a duel to display results but I tell you that if allowed, probably most of the collegeans have better results at SHS than when he was in school. I know most of my colleagues at college who came with single grades from SHS.
The initiative to have a better education system is a collective effort. So whiles our hands are on the job to transform education in Ghana, we shouldn’t be backstabbed. The best way to tell the public is that we’re transitioning from the old education system to a far better one and hence an upgrade of teachers’ professionalism.
From onset of education in Ghana, were teachers degree holders? I remember as a kid how people were so happy to grabbed an O’level for teaching but today, it’s no more a pride so will the degree be too.
Most of us came to college for job security first and secondly, passion. I had admission to Legon to do my favorite course, KNUST and Jirapa nursing college but my dad and I resolved on CoE due to job security. So it is very erroneous to think we have the worse results as collegeans. Very erroneous.
So Mr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, come again!
© sirdonfrancis, February 5th, 2020.
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Featured Articles Wednesday 5/02/20
The title of this article may possible make some people think that I am going to speak against listening to worldly music but that is not the case in this article.
Personally, I hardly listen to circular songs for some personal reasons, but sometimes when I hear colleagues listening and singing some of the songs by some of the circular musicians, some of the utterances and the words they articulate catches my attention for listening to the song again. The title of this article must possibly be the title of a song by one of the hit circular musicians by name, StoneBwoy who happens to be the President of the Bhim Empire.
This particular title “If I die today, I am a hero” caught my attention one day when we were learning one day. I overheard a colleague singing passionately the lyrics of the song, not until he got to the point where the title of this article was craved from. This friend of mine was passionately singing that, “If he dies that day he was a hero”. Then, immediately it occurred to me to pay attention to what he was singing. I saw a message being conveyed from what my friend was singing. He meant if he should die that particular moment and day, he was a hero.
The question that kept coming in mind was, does this friend really understands what he is singing. Does he knows who a hero is?
Many a time, people jam to the beat of some songs without taking a critical listening to the words and lyrics used in the songs. Its shouldn’t be your habit to just be listening to music as your hobby, take a critical look at the lyrics. It is the lyrics that really carries or conveys the message in the music. Be careful with lyrics, they are influences!!!
Who then is a hero??
Lets briefly look at some dictionary meanings;
A real or mythical person of great bravery who carries out extraordinary deeds.
A hero is a role model.
Above is two basic definitions of who a hero is.
To link this to my friend who was singing if he died that day he was a hero meant that, if he died that day, he was
To call yourself a Hero, you must have lived a life that is wealth emulating, you should be a model to others, your impact should be felt in the society and vicinity you come from.
In Ghana, when names like Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ako Adjei etc are mentioned, their impacts and lives they lived speaks for them. These are real Hero’s. Their lives are a role model to others. The contributions of these people to the development of the country is highly felt and appreciated. They have impacted people and the nation at large.
In Christianity, Jesus Christ is one Hero who’s impact and life has been a model for believers over the world.
So the question to now ask is, when you should die today as the song says, are you really a hero? Hero’s are celebrated. If you should depart today, would you be celebrated. Days are set aside to celebrate and acknowledge Hero’s. Would you be one of them today. Some people are living and are still heroes, because their lives are a model others, and their impact on the family, church, school and the nation at large is celebrated.
Do you want to be remembered for when you are not at where you are currently? Be it school, church, family, society, country etc, then live a life of impact and model that Will cause people to remember you in your presence and absence. Can you call yourself a hero now? Because you are popular doesnt make you a hero if your impact is not seen and felt.
So, the individual decision to take is to live a life that is worth imitating, model, and impacting to become a hero.
Remember, that if you die today without a life of impact you are not a Hero. Hero’s are celebrated.
I pray that your impact will cause you to be celebrated as a hero in your school, position, family, church, community, country and the world at large.
Remember to die as a hero, Jesus died as one, Paul died as one, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah died as one, so die as one.
Thank you….
Story by: Issah Toha Shamsoo. Saturday 18th January, 2020 9:37am
The Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo Sector of the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) will today the 18th of January, 2020 host a leadership seminar at Offinso College of Education under the theme: Nurturing leadership qualities from the trenches: Expectations of the Teacher Trainee”
The seminar is expected to be graced by both Sector Executives and National Executive Officers of TTAG. That will be in addition to the distinguished guest speakers and leadership coaches who have been invited to spice up the program with their experience with leadership to prepare the younger generation early before they take the mantle of leadership in spheres of life.
The Sector President, Hon. Bediako Isaiah is optimistic that the result of the seminar is felt by every participant of the program. Thus, he extends warm invitations to everyone especially teacher trainees to come and be empowered.
Our checks at the grounds reveal that, everything is set for the program to be kick-started fully in just a while at Offinso College of Education where it is hosted. We shall be around to keep you updated as the program progresses.
Story by: Issah Toha Shamsoo Thursday 16th January, 2019. 7:22pm
The president of Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) Hon. Augustine Appiah earlier today pleaded with government of Ghana to please post all qualified trained teachers since it is not easy to say at home though you are qualified for a job.
He made this known when he featured in Pan African TV program dubbed ‘Youth Forum.’ to discuss and clarity issues pertaining to teacher trainees and the recent brouhaha that broke up.
“We thank the government for posting the over 13, 000 qualified teachers, but we are pleading that all those who are qualified be posted.”
Honourable Augustine stated.
Whilst appealing for calm within the qualified teachers who have not been posted yet, he similarly pleaded with Ghana Police Service and other necessary stakeholders to kindly pardon those who were arrested and charged for they did whatever they did out of their will.
“We are appealing to the necessary stakeholders to please pardon those who were arrested and charged. It is not easy to be at home unemployed though you are qualified.”
He added.
Though he did not give specific timelines when the unposted qualified teachers will be posted, he assured them that a lot of stakeholder consultation is ongoing and soon than later all issues will be resolved.
On the recent teacher licensure examination results released, Hon. Augustine extended TTAG’s congratulatory message to all those passed and urged those little difficulties not to give up but keep on working hard.
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