The Government explains its justification for reinstituting quotas at colleges of education.
The administration has stated that a lack of infrastructure led to its decision to reinstate the admission quota system at the nation’s colleges of education.
The government announced the reinstatement of the quota system for the 46 authorized public colleges of education for the academic year 2022–2023 in a letter dated December 16, 2022.
According to education observers, this action will probably make it more difficult for applicants to be accepted into the nation’s numerous colleges of education.
A total of 12,002 potential teacher trainees are anticipated to be admitted into the Colleges of Education for the 2022–2023 academic year, per the list made public by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).
The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission provided a list of colleges of education together with their respective admission quotas for the academic year under consideration in a letter to the National Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education (PRINCOF).
The Executive Director of GTEC, Professor Mohammed Salifu, responded to the new development in a Citi News interview by stating that physical spaces at the various Colleges of Education are limited as a result of the operation of the four-year system, which is why the move to reinstate the quota system and reduce enrolment was made.
“We had a physical infrastructure expansion program planned, but it hasn’t kept up with the cohort’s advancement. Therefore, physical space is still somewhat constrained as it stands. You would be aware that we are working on hostel projects at all the different colleges. We need to manage the space we have while that’s going on. The decision was based on it, according to the GTEC Executive Director.
Claims that the payment of teacher trainee allowances was the reason for the restoration of the quota system were refuted by Professor Salifu.
“As far as I’m concerned, there hasn’t been any change in policy with the reinstatement of trainee allowances, therefore it hasn’t even been considered. We are dealing with an existing policy that acknowledges that we provide them (teacher trainees) allowances, so it hasn’t been one of our considerations. However, the figures we are currently working with are merely figures that are limited by the actual physical space that the universities have, he emphasized.
Peter Norstsu Kotoe, the ranking member of the Parliament’s Education Committee, criticized the decision as sad and claimed it would inhibit the development of education in the nation.
He demanded that the government tell Ghanaians the truth about the allowances given to teacher trainees, claiming that there isn’t enough money to pay them.
It’s sad because, particularly at the pre-tertiary or basic level, the number of instructors we need in our schools is rising steadily. I disagree with the government’s justification of a lack of infrastructure, saying that it can reduce the number. According to Mr. Kotoe, they are merely withholding the information that the government lacks the resources to pay the alleged allowances.
A maximum of 300 students may be admitted to Abetifi Presbyterian College of Education, 273 students may be admitted to Holy Child College of Education, and 320 students may be admitted to Berekum College of Education for the upcoming academic year.
Below is the list of the permissible quota for the various Colleges of Education
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