Young minds in teaching is key to enhance quality education

UK aid and Transforming Teacher Education and Learning (T-TEL) have stated that attracting young minds into teaching is key to enhancing quality education in the country.

They said the continuous raise in the profile of teaching and attraction of young people who are passionate about teaching would become agents of social change for the profession.

"Attracting talented, enthusiastic candidates who want to make a difference to children’s lives and society into the teaching profession is as important as the transformation already happening in teacher education," they said.

In a press release issued to the Ghana News Agency, they stated that almost four years ago, the Government of Ghana, with significant investment from UK aid, launched Transforming Teacher Education and Learning (T-TEL).

It was an ambitious programme committed to ensuring that teachers posted to classrooms across the country were well-trained, prepared for the classroom, motivated and can inspire learners.

This year, "The UK and T-TEL celebrate World Teacher’s Day, under the theme: “Young Teachers: The Future of the Profession.”

The statement applauded the pivotal role Ghanaian teachers played to improve children’s learning, promoting gender and social equality and supporting Ghana’s development and prosperity.

Additionally, they noted that teacher education in Ghana was going through exciting changes and graduates of Colleges of Education will now leave with a degree, which equipped them with the right theoretical knowledge and practical skills to excel, support and inspire children in the classroom.

They said that T-TEL and the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) have already supported Colleges of Education to deliver impressive improvements.

They stated that proportion of beginning teachers who demonstrated core professional competencies had moved from less than two per cent in 2015 to 42 per cent in 2019.

They said when the first batch of Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) student teachers graduate in 2022, they would need to enter a workplace where teaching as a high profile, dynamic profession, recognised and rewarded passion, integrity, excellence and commitment.

"This will be vital for ensuring better teaching quality, and better learning and life outcomes for children," they stated.

They said both UK aid and T-TEL were fully committed to support the Government of Ghana to make this transformation, building on the successes achieved to date.