The Director of the Institute of Education at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Professor Eric Anane has called on colleges of education to upgrade the skills of the various faculties, to enable them to become abreast of the global transformation in teacher education to ensure quality teaching and learning.
Professor Anane said the changing trend globally in teacher education in the era of technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) necessitated deliberate efforts by colleges of education to leverage on modern technology to improve teacher education in the country.
The Director made the call at the opening ceremony of six days annual National Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education (PRINCOF) in Ho yesterday on the theme: “Leveraging AI in Colleges of Education in Ghana for Improved Teacher Education”.
Professor Anane said AI would definitely not replace the human teacher values including compassion and adherence to professional ethics, however AI would facilitate teaching methods through research and enhance the general teacher education in the country.
He stressed that the teacher remained crucial and at the centre of teacher education, since the teacher would still apply professional ethics and ensure critical thinking, which AI could not provide, it was imperative for the teacher to wisely use AI to enhance teaching and learning.
Professor Anane observed that AI came with its own challenges including lack of human values and at times inability to provide accurate information when challenged, therefore the need to effectively equip the faculties of colleges of education to take advantage of AI and operate within the education needs of the times.
He said the era of reliance on books alone for teacher training was over and AI came to complement quality teaching and learning, adding “we cannot be using the same old methods of training the teacher and expect to make progress’’.
Professor Anane said Ghana would work hard and take advantage of AI to become the best teacher training colleges in Africa, and urged the principals of the 49 colleges of education to put in their best to realise the dream, which he stressed was possible.
The National President of PRINCOF, Professor Samuel A. Atintono thanked the government for provision of vehicles for the principals of education, saying even though all the principals did not receive the vehicles yet, he was optimistic that they would all take delivery of the vehicles in due time.
Professor Atintono also lauded the roles played by PRINCOF in migration of tutors of colleges of education to the university salary structure, which served as motivation for the tutors to put in their best, adding that one of his legacy projects was to provide internet facilities to all the colleges of education in the country.
The President said infrastructure deficit remained a major challenge in all the colleges of education, and said the current strike embarked upon by the Colleges of Education Tutors Association of Ghana (CETAG), and appealed to them to reconsider their decision and resort to dialogue with authorities for amicable settlement of the impasse.
The Deputy Volta Regional Director of Education, Mrs Marian Adzroe said the theme for the conference was apt in the era of technology and AI, and stressed the need for tutors at the colleges of education to take advantage of technology to enhance the quality of teacher education in the country.
FROM SAMUEL AGBEWODE, HO
