Jackson College of Education, the teacher education division of the Jackson Educational Complex, has taken steps to make the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), a way of life for every person who passes through the college.
The introduction of the online administration is intended to offer direct student services and to make the college’s academic programmes more accessible to the growing number of students, to help build the capacity of their products.
The Principal, Mrs Theodosia Jackson, who was addressing the 4th Congregation Ceremony of the college on Saturday, 23rd July 2016, said it was important to bridge the gap between Ghanaian students and their global counterparts in terms of ICT.
This, she said, was critical for them to compete favourably at the local and international levels, especially in respect of job opportunities.
This year’s graduation saw a total of 2,171 students graduating with Diploma in Basic Education after a three-year period of education through Distance Learning.
The graduates were drawn from learning centres in all ten regions of the country.
Since its inception in 2009, the college has produced over 6,500 graduates who are fashioned to meet the growing demands of today’s educational needs.
By dint of hard work, discipline and commitment, the college currently has 40 hard working full-time and 750 part-time staff, comprising tutors, centre supervisors and zonal coordinators.
Mrs Jackson noted that their success story was attributable to hard work and the impartation of God-fearing values in their students.
“Our students go through a carefully structured, learner-oriented distance education programme facilitated by interactive modules and weekend face-to-face sessions”, the principal emphasised.
She observed that continuous education and life-long learning were values the college held in high esteem in the provision of quality education. Hence, continuous professional development workshops were organised annually for all full-time and part-time staff to improve their competence.
Touching on opportunities, the Principal mentioned access to the Students Loan Trust Fund and enrolment on to the National Service Scheme for its students, adding that there were job openings in both public and private sectors for its graduates who had acquired a wide range of transferrable knowledge and skills to fit into any field of interest.
Professor Mawutor Avoke, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), to which JCE is affiliated, in a speech read on his behalf, advised the graduates to be duty-conscious and exhibit the virtues which they had acquired at JCE.
He lauded the Jacksons for their vision and bold initiative in establishing the college. He affirmed that it was appropriate for the private sector to complement the government’s effort in the provision of quality education.
Dr Baafuor Ossei Hyeamann Brantuo VI, Otumfuo Manwerehene, said distance education was critical to addressing the high teacher shortage in the remotest parts of the country.
He further challenged stakeholders to be supportive of the college’s authorities in achieving their aim.
Professor Ebenezer Jackson, the Director of the college, presented awards to graduates who performed with distinction.
Mr Bismark Twum, the Overall Best Student, in a valedictory speech, called on his colleagues to strive hard in their academic pursuits.
He charged his fellow graduates to shun laziness and avoid shortcuts to life’s successes.
“Eschew any form of grasshopper attitude to your studies for, ‘had I known is always at last’ ”, he advised.
Dr Mrs Ernestina Fredua Antoh, the Acting Council Chairman of JEC, said the College was committed to contributing to enhanced education by producing competent graduates with the requisite skills. This was in response to the government’s White Paper on the Anamuah-Mensah Education Review Committee Report (2002), which sought to train more professional teachers in early childhood education.
Dr Mrs Fredua Antoh observed that JCE continues to be recognised as a distinguished partner in the promotion of basic education in the country.
The college, she said, had recently been awarded the ‘African Quality Award’ for its unparalleled contribution to distance education in Ghana.
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