Woes of Postponement of Reopening Date of Colleges of Education ~ Mr Gbadago writes.

A level 300 student of Akatsi College of Education, Akatsi in the Volta Region of Ghana has expressed his heart felt displeasure through a piece of note.

The Teacher Trainee identified as Mr Gbadago Justice who double as the 

Vice President Of NUPS - G , AKATSICO Chapter

National, Public Relations Officer of NUTSA,  A Young Upcoming  Youth Activist and also One time, Assistant Senior School Prefect of SOGASCO expressed his heart felt displeasure in the write up below.

Teacher trainees in the 46 public Colleges of Education in Ghana received a letter dated October 8,2021 communicating the approval for the proposed calendar of the 2021/2022 academic year. In this letter, trainees in levels 200 and 300 were instructed to report to campus/school on November 6, 2021. 

This has been the expectation of most trainees therefore majority of them have advanced plans in relation to this date.

Consequently, working teacher trainees informed their bosses on the resumption date as a sign of professionals at work since most of them decided to engage themselves in businesses during the vacation.

Shockingly, on the 2nd November 2021, a letter with the reference number PS/ROA/01 from National Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education - Ghana stating that, The Director General of GTEC has directed all levels 200 and 300 students would report to school in 2022 on dates to be announced soon.

 The reopening date for level 100 students however remains unchanged ( January 8, 2022). It has been a great disturbance and a cause of sleepless night for many trainees upon hearing the rumor on 1st November, 2021 in the evening. Teacher trainees are disheartened are disheartened and mind tortured as this was confirmed on November 2, 2021.

This is regrettable and unfortunate for majority of trainees across the country. Our plans are shattered because of the untimely publication of the rightful information to the teacher trainees.The psychological, emotional and socio economic preparation are ruined mercilessly.For instance, someone who informed the boss of returning back to school and the boss has arranged for a new employee to take over, what should that teacher trainee do ? . 

One is left with no other option than to say , " if this persists, then, sorry to say that, Colleges of Education shall be a place of no go for the Youths." Yes, this is the height that it has reached.

Teacher trainees , the youths , cannot sit down, seeing the top officials torturing them anyhow at least we deserve better if not the best. I am reasonably convinced that, trainees in levels 200 and 300 have prepared and made up their minds, set up their emotions to be psychologically and physically ready for academic work but from nowhere , a thunder storm blasted to cause them mayhem , leaving cicatrices on their minds and body.

 This has made most of my colleagues who called me to enquire on the authenticity of the said information to even say that, they have regretted coming to college.

These few questions keep on disturbing my mind since I chanced on the postponement news;

Does it mean that, the previous date for resumption that was announced, there were no proper consultation and analysis before its publication ?

Who were the people that deliberated and came up or out with the previous date of resumption ? or are they different from those that published the new date for resumption ?

Why should a new resumption date be released four days to the supposed resumption day ?

In fact, teacher trainees are bleeding and request that top officials should humbly consider their emotions and status especially in situations like this. Yes,in the circumstances where the government has strategically balanced in nicodemus attitude and refused to pay the trainees their promised and legitimate allowances on or even in time but are be subjected to mind games. 

This cannot continue only if we need a change in Colleges of Education.

 I stand for positive change in Colleges of Education and Ghana, my beloved country.On this note, I humbly say #CoETopOfficialsShouldStopPlayingWithTrainees'Emotions #FixCoE. It's my prayer and hope that, this shouldn't repeat in our educational system especially at the tertiary level.

Apologies, if any of my words sounded vituperatively.

Source : Front Desk of Hon. Gbadago Justice (Chief Justice of AKATSICO, SRC and a level 300 trainee offering Mathematics and ICT ).