314 Teacher Trainees in Limbo

The Fate of 314 Student Teachers of the Gambaga College of Education (GCE) is in the balance after seven months of their admission into the college to pursue Diploma in Education programmes in order to become professional teachers. The frustrated students who were lured into applying as students of the institution were initially made to believe that it was state- owned and were therefore made to pay a mandatory sum of GH�1,200 each before being issued with admission letters on the October 20, 2013. They were also made to understand that the University of Cape Coast (UCC) would conduct their end of semester examinations as witnessed by other Teacher Training Colleges across the country. But almost eight months of their resumption as students, they claimed no such examination had been written despite the fact that the services of private teachers from other Teacher Training Colleges were sought on part time basis. In their attempt to press their demands, authorities told them the institution was privately managed and it is now liaising with central government to adopt it as one of its approved state institutions for the award of Diploma in Education. According to the students who called into the offices of DAILY GUIDE, they were demoralized on hearing the new twist to events contrary to what the East Mamprusi District Chief Executive (DCE), Imoro Adam, made them to believe on the day of their matriculation. They have since vowed to stay off lectures in the wake of demands by the administration of the school for them to pay extra GH₵ 500 meant for feeding. A cross section of them told the paper they were not ready to incur further bills since their current fate was unknown accusing the District Assembly of luring them into an institution whose future was unknown. All attempts to reach the DCE for his comments on the matter proved futile as he failed to respond to several text messages sent to his phone. The students are however demanding that management should come clear on the prospects of the school since it was emerging that government really had no hand in its establishment, wondering if it was even approved by the National Accreditation Board (NAB). Others are also demanding a full refund of their fees and other expenses in full in the wake of the uncertainty bedevilling the school, which could result in them spending several years and complete with unrecognized certificates. A certain Abdallah Yakubu, Administrator of the college, when reached on phone declined comment saying he could neither confirm nor deny the story. He told DAILY GUIDE to formally apply to the school before any information could be released regarding the matter. The said administrator who sounded rude at the other end of the conversation said anyone could call and take information, that is the reason why he would not trust the person calling as a staff of DAILY GUIDE and as such saw no need in divulging information to the school.