Komenda College of Education (KMCE) marked its 75th anniversary recently by making a critical call to the government to accredit private basic schools with qualified teaching staff.
Very Rev. Kwesi Nkum Wilson(PhD), the Principal of the college, emphasized the need for these institutions to have at least 50% of their teaching staff trained, certified, and licensed.
He believes by doing so, it would ensure that teacher trainees who complete their Bachelor of Education Programmes from colleges of education would have the opportunity to be employed in private institutions.
Dr. Wilson highlighted that private schools outnumber government schools, particularly in urban areas. And accrediting private institutions with trained teachers would also improve the quality of education in these schools for a better Ghana.
Moreover, accrediting private schools would bring about several benefits, such as creating job opportunities for newly trained teachers, promoting competition and innovation in the education sector, and reducing the burden on government schools.
Dr Kwesi Nkum Wilson also called on the government to make agricultural studies a stand-alone subject in basic schools. This move would enable students to learn practical agricultural skills, which would help them to be self-sufficient and contribute to the country’s agricultural sector.
He believes that with the right policies and regulations in place, Ghana’s education sector can witness significant growth and development.