Teacher Trainees in Colleges of Education in a state of depression as they boycott examinations

Teacher Trainees in Colleges of Education in a state of depression as they boycott examinations

Teacher trainees in Colleges of Education in Ghana especially those affiliated to University of Cape Coast (UCC) are in a state of depression and anguish as level 200s are informed to write End-of-Semester Examination on Monday 5th December, 2022 – Friday 16th December, 2022 while level 300s write their Mid-Semester Examination on Thursday 1st December, 2022 – Wednesday 7th December, 2022 and End of Second Semester Examination on amidst the ongoing strike of teachers in Colleges of Education.

Per research conducted by filasconews.com, teacher trainees in all 46 Colleges of Education in Ghana have suffered a lot this second phase of 2021/2022 Academic Year. There has been numerous of strikes taken by both their teaching and non-teaching staff which as a result of that, most trainees are complaining that their teachers didn’t reach even half of their course outline but are being forced to write an examination that may cover areas they have not been taught.

Trainees see this to be suicidal and unfair if they should write the examinations. Again, teachers who will administer the test, mark their script, collate their results and present their continuous assessment are on strike therefore they see it not needful to sit for any examination until their teachers are back from the strike for academic work to fully resume.

In view of these, the President of the Teacher Trainees’ Association of Ghana (TTAG), Dzunu Jonathan, was petitioned by all SRC Presidents in the 46 Colleges of Education to consult stakeholders to know their fate in order for the Examinations to be boycotted until their teachers resume from strike for academic work to resume.

Stakeholders listened to their plea which made the various mentoring Universities agree to boycott the examination.

Based on this, the secretariat of Teacher Trainee’s Association of Ghana issued an immediate release to all trainees on 30th November, 2022 signed by the President and the secretary, instructing all teacher trainees’ not to sit for the examination.

Not knowing, University of Cape Coast (UCC) was not in support although all Colleges of Education use the same Academic calendar provided by Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) who sees to academic work of Colleges of Education.

This has caused chaos in some Colleges of Education affiliated to University of Cape Coast (UCC). Most trainees have refused to go to the examination hall to write the examination until Principals and various stakeholders here their cry.

According to reports from some Colleges, a communique which was referenced IOE/N.4/B.ED/83/V.2/171 from University of Cape Coast (UCC) dated Monday 28th November, 2022 was released to Principals of affiliated Colleges but some Managements gave the information to trainees on Tuesday 29th November, 2022 while trainees were given only a day to prepare to write an a Mid-Semester Examination that was scheduled on Thursday 1st December, 2022 of which the trainees see the timing to be unfair.

Trainees are pleading with The Ministry of Education and all other stakeholders to come to their aid as they see it to be unfair to write these Examinations. They also humbly plead to all stakeholders to address the issues of their teachers who are on strike so that all academic work can resume amicably.

-Filasconews.com