The lack of adequate accommodation facilities for students and staff of St Joseph College of Education (JOSCO) is impeding academic excellence, the Principal Godfred Isaac Antwi, has disclosed.
He indicated that out of the current students and staff population of 1,334 and 104 respectively, only 25 per cent were accommodated in the college’s premise saying “we need help.”
The Principal was optimistic that the construction of more residential facilities for academic and non – academic staff, and students would enhance effective teaching and learning including night lectures.
Mr Antwi stated this on Wednesday in an interview with the Ghanaian Times on the sideline of the College’s 75th anniversary launch at Bechem, in the Ahafo Region.
He indicated that the anniversary, which would be celebrated throughout 2023, is dubbed, “75 years of holistic teacher education: the way forward in the era of digitalisation”
The Principal emphasised that the college, which was established in 1948, lacked ultramodern lecture halls, and improved technological gadgets to enhance effective teaching and learning process among other challenges.
Mr Antwi bemoaned the poor campus road network which posed serious health and sanitation threats to students and staff of the college, adding that the dust emanating from the untarred road is unbearable.
He noted that the college over the years, has been training students not only for examination purposes, but how to contribute well in the society and to contribute to the socio – economic growth of the country.
The Principal stressed that JOSCO, affiliated to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), and trains students based on Catholic Church standard discipline and integrity, has produced quality teachers.
” I am proud to announce that the 2022 Fidelity Implementation Report (FIR) placed our college among the top schools running the 4 – year Bachelor of Education Programme by the Ghana Tertiary Education Council (GTEC)” he stated.
He pledged the commitment of staff in collaboration with stakeholders to make JOSCO the preferred teacher education centre in the country, reiterating that “together we can make the college great and strong.”
Mr Antwi solicited the support of past students and staff, friends of the college around the globe, individuals, and institutions to donate towards the ongoing anniversary infrastructure projects of the college.
The Principal commended the support of the Catholic Church, government, the college council and staff, past students, parents, guardians and the current students towards the achievement of JOSCO in the past 75 years.
FROM EMMANUEL ADU GYAMFI, BECHEM
