College of education for Yendi to serve deprived communities
A college of education established by the Catholic Diocese of Yendi last year has been inaugurated in the Yendi Municipality in the Northern Region to help train teachers to serve in rural and deprived communities along the Eastern Corridor stretch of the region.
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The St Vincent College of Education situated at Yendi, initially established by the Catholic Diocese of Yendi under the leadership of Most Reverend Rev. Vincent Sowah Boi-Nai, the Catholic Bishop of Yendi, was absorbed by the government this year, and is affiliated to the University of Cape Coast (UCC).
The institution admitted its first batch of students made up of 68 women and 109 men, last year to pursue a three-year Diploma in Basic Education after obtaining an approval from the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE).
Inauguration
The Deputy Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji A.B.A Fuseini, who inaugurated the college at Yendi at the weekend, said the government was committed to expanding the infrastructural base of all educational institutions at all levels to create a conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning.
Consequently, he said the college would benefit from a number of infrastructure to enhance teaching and learning in the institution and make it one of the best training colleges in the country.
To this end, he said the government had awarded contracts for the construction of a four-storey hostel, a multipurpose administration and assembly block, a three-bedroom bungalow for the principal and a modern hygiene wash and sanitary facility for the college.
He said the contractors working on the various projects were to move to the site this week to begin work.
Alhaji Fusieni commended the Catholic Church and the Dagbon Traditional Council for their foresight and partnering the government to further create the avenue for the teeming youth at Yendi and beyond to access tertiary education.
The Regent of Dagbon, Kampakuya-Na Andani Yakubu Abdulai, who chaired the ceremony, commended the government for its efforts to improve education in the country. He, however, urged the government to do more to improve education in the north in particular.
The Kampakuya-Na, who is also the acting President of the Dagbon Traditional Council, said it had been the cherished dream of the late Ya-Na Andani Yakubu II to have a college of education established within the Yendi enclave and this dream had finally come to fruition.
Support from private sector
A Businessman, Alhaji Yakubu Kasuli, the Managing Director of Gbewaa Civil Engineer and Petroleum Company, pledged to construct and provide kitchen equipment for the college at a cost of GH¢32,500, while Mr Nathaniel Adams Jnr, the Chief Executive Officer of the Church of Christ (CoC), Rural Water Development Programme (RWDP) and founder of the 7As College of Science and Technology, a basic school at Yendi, also pledged to provide the college with a mechanised water facility at the cost of GH¢18,000 and a cash donation of GH¢2,000 during a fundraising session at the ceremony.
Mr Adams further pledged to open up his school for teacher trainees to have their practical training.
Vision/mission
The Principal of the college, Dr Erasmus Norviewu-Mortty, said the mission of the college was to be a leader in training teachers for Ghana’s disadvantaged rural schools to ensure better academic outcomes and progression of students of rural schools in Ghana.
Most Rev. Boi-Nai ,who later dedicated a three-classroom block and offices of the college at its new site at Gamazi, a suburb in the Yendi, expressed his appreciation to all and sundry, some friends from Australia, the Dagbon Traditional Council and the NCTE for their contributions toward the establishment of the college.