INFORMATION AVAILABLE to the DAILY HERITAGE from the Sefwi Wiawso College of Education in the Western Region reveals that the Academic Board of the College has sacked 38 teacher trainees for poor academic performance.
This has rendered the students hopeless after spending three hard years to train and learn, coupled with the struggle to pay their fees.
Currently, a total of 40 final year students have also been put on standby and have been given the second chance to rewrite their failed papers. If they fail, they will also be shown the exit.
The situation has put fear in the students who are currently in first and second year, while some of the sacked students have taken to alcohol to cover up the embarrassment.
The sacked students have their names posted on the College’s notice board and those affected are finding it difficult because they are known.
Some of the affected students had earlier failed in some of the subjects, but were given the second chance to rewrite the papers. “So when they failed for the second time, there was nothing the Academic Board could do.” A student told the paper in an interview.
The rule previously was that final year trainee teachers were given the opportunity to rewrite a number of times till they finally pass, but lately the body responsible for organizing examinations for Colleges of Education, the University of Cape Coast (UCC) came out with a policy that every student is limited to only two chances.
The policy covers both the first and second year students who fail to pass a promotional examination in all the 10 subjects offered in all the Colleges of Education in the country.
Further information gathered indicated that the sacked students had passes in six, seven, eight and nine subjects, but because they failed in their second attempt to get the additional one, all their efforts have come to zero.
The UCC took the step to ensure that trained teachers going out to teach pupils are well qualified and educated.
Some of the students are, however, appealing to the Ghana Education Service to intervene for another final chance to rewrite.
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