Gambaga (NE/R)-Ghana, Sept. 2, GNA – Dr Abdallah Salifu, the Vice Principal of the Gambaga College of Education in the North East Region, has called on the government and other major stakeholders to assist the College to address its infrastructure deficit, to enhance teaching and learning.
According to Dr Salifu, the college was bedeviled with major infrastructure challenges, which adversely affected academic activities in the school and underscored the need for support.
The Vice Principal made this appeal at the third Congregation of the College held on the theme: “Substance abuse among students in Ghana; the role of a 21st century teacher.”
The College graduated a total of 241 trained teachers in two bachelor of education degree programmes, Primary education and Junior High School education, comprising 87 females and 154 males.
Dr Salifu disclosed that apart from projects funded by the Internally Generated Funds (IGF) of the College, a two-unit female hostel project, and an ongoing 500-seat modern auditorium by the Students Representative Council (SRC), the College since its establishment in 2012 had not had any major educational-centered infrastructure.
He said the Colle ge lacked a science laboratory, accommodation facilities for staff, limited computers, and had only two worn-out operational vehicles, a pick-up truck and a bus, for both administrative and academic work.
He observed that it was negatively impacting teaching and learning, and there was the need for the government to expedite action to address the challenges.
Dr. Salifu said despite the challenges, the college recorded three first-class graduates as against one first-class in the last graduation.
“Given the needed support, the students could do better”, he added.
Mr Dan Kolbilla, the Governing Council Chairman of the College, congratulated the new teachers for adapting to the environment despite the challenges it posed and working hard to achieve their dreams.
He said the Council, since its inauguration, had worked in conjunction with management and students for the passage of sixteen College policies, the development of a five-year college strategic plan, a three-year college development plan, and the appointment of key officers to substantive positions, among other things, to advance teaching and learning.
The Chairman, however, bemoaned that infrastructure at the College’s new site, including a hostel, administration block, and other multipurpose blocks, had stalled as the contractors had abandoned the site, resulting in the need for a review of the contracts.
Mr Yidana Zakaria, the North East Regional Minister, who was the Special Guest of Honour, congratulated the graduates, urging them not to relent but work towards the betterment of the country.
He said the concerns of the college raised by the principal and the governing council chairman were substantive and well noted and would be tabled before the authorities, adding that the government was committed to improving infrastructural development to enhance teaching and learning in the school.
He used the occasion to appeal to members of the College of Education Teachers Association (CETAG) to return to the classroom while negotiations with the government continued, to address their concerns.
