New trends in physics teaching, v.4; The ... - unesdoc - Unesco

New Trends in Physics Teaching IV
objectives for the new teacher training programme; (2) to consider directives which were issued
by the Ghana Education Service and to recommend appropriate action; (3) to determine the
ratio of academic to professional studies; (4) to examine the subject groupings allocated to the
colleges and suggest a workable limit to which these subjects could be taken; (5) to draw up a
sample curriculum; and (6) to determine admission procedures.
Members complained that the time limit for submitting syllabuses was too short. The Ministry
of Education was persuaded to reduce specialization in subject areas from three to two. The new
programme started in September 1975. Two months later, the government explained that the
specialization in three subjects instead of one was for economic reasons i.e. to reduce cost in
education. Orientation courses were to be organized for tutors of the various colleges on
syllabuses, content etc. Money and accommodation were needed for such courses.
Within a year, the problems were becoming apparent. In 1979 an analysis of the answers to a
questionnaire that was sent to the principals revealed that: (1) a total of 128 I students finished
the course in 1978, and 1032 in 1979 (from 11 colleges); (2) the subject combinations were said
to be unrealistic; (3) staffing problems were acute in science and mathematics subjects; (4) specialization
would be better if restricted to post-initial training; (5) the percentage of students qualifying
for entry into the courses was between 1 and 3 per cent of the total entrants; and (6) the
existing arrangement of external examinations was not acceptable. A committee was accordingly
set up to examine the entire teacher training programme, to describe the problems and their
causes and then to suggest solutions. The committee found that: (i) the programme was introduced
without adequate preparation; therefore, there were no adequate equipment, materials or qualified
staff; (ii) the principals, NTTC and the Institute of Education, University of Cape Coast, who
were to implement the programme, were not involved in the planning; (iii) the ninety-two trial
junior secondary schools already opened were unable to absorb all the teachers trained; those
teachers who had therefore been posted to teach in the elementary schools were unwilling to
work in them since they felt it beneath their dignity to do so; (iv) owing to inadequate staffing
and equipment, the standard of the products of the programme was below the standard expected;
and (v) it was difficult to get a sufficient number of qualified candidates for admission into these
colleges.
Since the junior secondary schools were now to be established gradually, the Education
Service was no longer under pressure to train large numbers of suitable teachers through the
three-year ‘quasi-specialist’ courses. The committee therefore recommended that: (a) the twoyear
post-secondary course should be re-introduced since the students, after their secondary
education, needed only methodology and professional training - a three-year general course is
wasteful of time; (b) teachers for the junior secondary schools should be trained in the universities
and diploma-awarding colleges; technical teachers wil be trained in technical schools and colleges;
and (c) to solve the problem of equipment, tools, materials, etc., (i) the Ghana Education Service
should get a bulk import licence; (ii) Unesco could be approached for assistance; (iii) a procurement
unit should be established; (iv) the course content should be determined by NTTC, and
(v) examinations should be conducted by NTTC.
At the NTTC meeting of 19 September 1979, the report of the committee was discussed and
the following decisions were made. First, a three-year programme without specialization would
be started. Intensive teaching practice of not less than a full term in the final year should be
conducted. Second, the new structure for teacher education in Ghana wil consist of: (i) fouryear
post-elementary (post-first cycle), (ii) three-year post-secondary, (iii) three-year diploma
and (iv) graduate teacher education. Third, the new programme would start with immediate
effect in September I979 in all twenty-four colleges. Fourth, junior secondary schools would be
staffed by post-secondary, diploma and university graduates and vocational and technical
teachers. Finally, diploma courses should be for trained teachers only.
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