The Bono East Region has long faced significant challenges in teacher training, with only one Public Teacher Training College, the Atebubu College of Education (ATECOE), serving the entire region. This has resulted in aspiring teachers, particularly those in the western corridor, including Techiman North and South areas, struggling with limited accommodation slots and being forced to travel far from home for training.
A new initiative aims to address these challenges with the construction of the St. Dominic College of Education in Tuobodom, a collaborative effort between the authorities in Techiman North District, led by Member of Parliament Elizabeth Ofosu Adjare, and the Catholic Diocese. This project is expected to increase access to teacher training, boost education in the area, and provide opportunities for local youth to pursue professional training.
On September 24, Bono East Regional Minister Francis Owusu Antwi visited the project site in Tuobodom to monitor progress. Expressing satisfaction with the work, he emphasized that the college will not only increase tertiary education enrollment but also retain local youth for professional training. The project is seen as a game-changer for the region's education sector.
The District Chief Executive for Techiman North, Adom Kwabena Johnson, who accompanied the Regional Minister, highlighted the government's role in securing additional projects for the school through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund). He noted that as new schools are built across the country, the need for trained teachers grows, and St. Dominic College of Education will play a crucial role in addressing this need.
The completion of the St. Dominic College of Education is anticipated to have several positive impacts, including ending the accommodation scramble for teacher trainees, bringing tertiary education closer to home for students in Techiman North and South, increasing enrollment in teacher training, and producing more qualified teachers for the country's growing number of schools.
The partnership with the Catholic Diocese and government support for infrastructure underscores the project's potential to make a significant difference. Once completed, the college is expected to boost the local economy of Tuobodom and its surrounding communities, providing a beacon of hope for thousands of young people who have long been denied the opportunity to train as teachers locally.
Key benefits of the new college include: 1) addressing the long-standing accommodation challenges for teacher trainees in the western part of the Bono East Region, 2) increasing access to tertiary education for local students, and 3) enhancing the region's education sector by producing more qualified teachers to support the country's growing number of schools.
Key points
- The new St. Dominic College of Education in Tuobodom will help address teacher training challenges in the Bono East Region.
- The project is a collaboration between the Techiman North District authorities, the Catholic Diocese, and the government.
- The college is expected to increase tertiary education enrollment, produce more qualified teachers, and boost the local economy.
