News

First Annual General Meeting of Transforming Teaching, Education and Learning (T-TEL) held in Accra In fulfillment of the Companies Act, T-TEL has held its first Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Accra, Ghana. The meeting gave the Board of Directors an opportunity to report on activities to the Subscribers of the organisation after its first year of incorporation. In attendance were subscribers, members of the Board of Directors, T-TEL Key Advisors and Senior Management Team. The event, chaired by Prof. Jophus Anamuah-Mensah, T-TEL Board Chair, discussed two reports: the annual report of the Board of Directors presented by the Executive Director of T-TEL and the audited financial statement of the organisation presented by A.D. and Associates respectively. Among the key issues discussed were updates on work done so far, progress report on T-TEL’s three key objectives, projects implemented and the appointment of two new members of the Board of Directors. Robin Todd, Executive Director, T-TEL presented updates on the key activities of the organisation within the period July 2020 and August 2021 Robin Todd, Executive Director of T-TEL in a discussion with a member of the Board of Director, Dr. Boakye-Yiadom and a Subscriber, Mr. Samuel Baba Adongo Dr. Michael Boakye Yiadom and Mrs. Aso Wusu Asante were appointed as new members of the Board of Directors. They bring to the Board, extensive experience in corporate governance and financial management respectively. A cross section of participants at the AGM  T-TEL Subscribers and Board of Directors meet for the first time at the AGM In his closing remarks, Prof. Anamuah- Mensah shared his good will message for the organisation. He stated: ‘I wish that T-TEL will grow and be the symbol of transformation in education in Ghana’.

Third Transforming Senior High School Education, Teaching & Learning Quarterly Planning Meeting held by T-TEL Transforming Teaching, Education & Learning (T-TEL) held the third Quarterly Planning Meeting for the Mastercard Foundation supported Transforming Senior High School Education, Teaching and Learning programme on Monday, August 2, and Tuesday, August 3, 2021. The meeting took place on zoom and in-person at the T-TEL office, headquartered in Accra. Transforming Senior High School Education, Teaching and Learning (T-SHEL) is a Government of Ghana programme implemented in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. The programme aims to achieve an extensive and sustainable transformation in the quality and relevance of Ghana’s Senior High School (SHS) system. T-SHEL seeks to ensure that every SHS graduate in Ghana is equipped with the subject knowledge, analytical and critical thinking skills and attitudes needed to progress to further studies or successfully enter the world of work. The third Quarterly Planning Meeting provided an opportunity to review progress to date and to address issues and challenges going forward. The meeting was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Education (MoE), the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), the National Teaching Council (NTC), five public universities (KNUST, UEW, UG, UCC and UDS) and the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).The meeting provided an opportunity for T-TEL’s Executive Director, Robin Todd and T-TEL’s Board Chair, Professor Jophus Anamuah Mensah, and others present to share updates and progress made against planned activities during the quarter under review.   Robin Todd, Executive Director, T-TEL, giving a presentation on T-SHEL In his remarks, Prof. Anamuah-Mensah, T-TEL’s Board Chair noted that there had been significant progress to date and he commended staff, key advisors and partners for their “continued effort and resilience to supporting Ghana’s education system“. Robin Todd provided a progress update against T-TEL’s key performance indicators. Using the traffic light progress tracking system, he indicated that most of the outputs in the roadmap were on course to be achieved and that there was now greater clarity as to how T-TEL would support partners such as GTEC and NaCCA to achieve their agreed key performance indicators. Coordinators, Key Advisors and partners provided updates on progress made during the quarter, lessons learnt and plans for the next quarter. Key focus areas included the forthcoming Ministry of Education Secondary Education Strategy and support to the B.Ed. in Initial Teacher Education in Universities and affiliated Colleges of Education (CoEs).  Beryl Opong Agyei, National Coordinator, Teacher Education and Prof. Jonathan Fletcher gave updates on the support to B.Ed. in Initial Teacher Education where MoUs have now been signed with five public universities and good progress is being made across various areas including regular College level Professional Development sessions for tutors to strengthen their delivery of the B.Ed.  According to Beryl, 5,000 copies of Tutor Professional Development Handbooks for Year 2 Semester 2 B.Ed. student teachers have been printed and distributed to universities and CoEs. These Handbooks have integrated Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) and Information, Communications Technology (ICT) so that these are incorporated within tutors’ lessons.      Group Work Session Inaugural Winners of T-TEL Excellence Award Three T-TEL staff members and key advisors also received the inaugural T-TEL Excellence Award during the Quarterly Planning Meeting. This award is given to staff and key advisors for work which embodies all six core values of T-TEL- Accountability, Inclusivity, Inclusivity, Collaboration, Creativity, Excellence.  Abdul-Karim Kadiri, Dr. Eric Daniel Ananga and Rocky Asuman demonstrated Creativity, Excellence and Collaboration in their line of work. They were each awarded a ‘Certificate of Excellence’ in recognition of their achievement.   Abdul-Karim Kadiri (left), Dr. Eric Daniel Ananga (middle) and Rocky Asuman (right) receiving their award certificates

”We are changing the way we look at education in this country”- Robin Todd Addresses Gambaga College of Education                                                       Robin Todd addressing the congregation The Gambaga College of Education ceremonial grounds was an interesting place on Saturday, July 24, 2021, as Mr. Robin Todd, Executive Director of T-TEL surprised everyone present by beginning his motivational address in Mampruli. Mampruli is a language spoken in northern Ghana by the Mamprusi people. He made this speech at the 2nd graduation ceremony of Gambaga College of Education (CoE).  Gambaga CoE is one of Ghana’s 46 public Colleges of Education located at Gambaga in the North East Region of Ghana. The College is affiliated to University for Development Studies.   Mr. Todd stated that Ghana had made significant changes in how teachers are trained, citing the importance of the National Teachers’ Standards. “The National Teachers’ Standards, which guides teacher preparation and practice in the country, tells us what a good teacher in Ghana must do“.  He further urged the graduands to practicalise what they had learned in the College to impact the classroom positively. “When I came to the College, I saw many exciting and more practical approaches to teaching. It was new, it was different, and it was interactive. We are changing the way we look at education in this country, but it all amounts to you, the graduates, and the student teachers. You have been trained in this new and exciting way, which will help us develop as a nation. If you go back to school and start using the same old practices, these investments will be wasted.” A total of 880 students graduated with Diploma in Basic Education. The number comprises of graduates from 2018, 2019, and 2020 year groups. The 2018 batch had 315 graduates, the 2019 batch had a student population of 339, and the 2020 batch had 226 graduates. Mr. Ezekiel Agambire Awane and Ms. Jane Achegebuga Addi were the overall best students for the 2020 batch.  Mr. Apungu John Aboyure, Ms. Banono Mavis and Master Akolgo Nyaaba Amos and Ms. Kasim Rabiatu were also adjudged Best Graduating students for 2019 and 2018 respectively.  They received various award packages, including brand new laptops and mobile tablets. In his address, the Principal of the College, Mr. Kassim Korah Nantomah, discussed student enrollment and infrastructural challenges and some actions taken to address some of the challenges. “Through Internally Generated Fund, we managed to put up a 10-unit and 2-unit dormitory blocks which are now serving as student hostels. Though not enough, these facilities are solving issues related to the long commute by students for lectures each day. Mr. Nantomah also applauded T-TEL for its support to the College. “I cannot conclude on physical infrastructure without mentioning T-TEL’s support to the College. The College received fairly used office equipment from T-TEL comprising chairs, tables, cabinets, three laptop computers, a printer, and a tablet. T-TEL also supported the College in constructing a changing room for female students to foster inclusive learning through the Payment by Results (PbR) project.”    Mr. Nantomah giving the principal’s address  Dignitaries present at the graduation ceremony were the North East Regional Minister, Mr. Yidana Zakaria, Prof. Imoro Braimah, Former Provost of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences – KNUST, Chiefs, the Honourable Member of Parliament for Walewale Constituency, Hajia Lariba Zuwera Abudu, Acting Municipal Chief Executive of East Mamprusi Municipal Assembly, Representative of Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Rev. Dr. Samuel Naadam, Representative of the Vice-Chancellor of the University for Development Studies, Professor Anthony Donkor, and Principals of Colleges of Education. Source: Colleges of Education Weekly Journal.