AMECO Launches 75th Anniversary

 

By: Akpabli Daniel Yao/Ho/VR

Despite the numerous challenges facing the College since its establishment, the management and staff of the Evangelical Presbyterian College of Education, Amedzofe –AMECO has launched their 75^th anniversary.

The Evangelical Presbyterian college of Education, Amedzofe formerly known as Evangelical Presbyterian Training College, Amedzofe was officially opened on February 10, 1944 as an off-shoot of two earlier institutions established by the Bremen Mission at Keta in the Ewe land by the German Missionaries and admitted its first batch of female students in 1950.

The College, according to reports, has so far trained about 20,000 teachers and continues to train quality teachers who are occupying various leadership positions across the various spectrum of life and also receiving national patronage through their admission by receiving students from almost all regions across the country. In 2020/2021 academic year, students from 11 regions out of 16 benefited from the Colleges admission, giving them a high percentage of regional balance as well as recording the highest female intake among mixed sex Colleges of education with 183 females against 188 males representing 49.3% and 50.7% respectively.

Speaking at the launch in the Volta Regional capital, Ho, the Principal of the College, Dr. Dickson Tsey noted that the college is sinking hence the need for all to put hands on deck to help restore the past glory of the college citing the numerous challenges facing the school as the cause.

“I am sad to mention that the College is still making use of the old and dilapidated structures bequeathed to it by the Founding Fathers. They include the administration block, classrooms, Halls of residence, Dining halls, few bungalows, Assembly halls and poor Campus Road Network”

He lamented that, these structures have so much dilapidated and not sufficient enough to host the current intake of both staff and students of the college adding that, Management of the College has been improvising over the years to accommodate both students and staff, a situation he said cannot continue into the future.

“Since 75 years ago, I regret to say that only the library and one classroom block on the main campus had been added. With the increasing number of students, there is no lecture room that can accommodate 150 or more students at a time” he explained.

He said apart from the newly Integrated Colleges of Education, AMECO remains one of the least developed colleges among the old Colleges of Education in the country. All these, he said, impede the smooth operation of the college.

He therefore expressed gratitude to the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and the Government, the College’s management, the Central Planning Committee, the Sub Committees, Staff, the Alumni and others for their continues support as they prepare to celebrate their main 75^th anniversary slated for October 23, 2021 on the theme “RESTORING THE PAST GLORY, REPOSITIONING AMECO AS A STRATEGIC PARTNER IN QUALITY TEACHER EDUCATION DELIVERY IN THE 21^ST CENTURY”.

He further requested the support of the Government, Alumni, Friends of the College, benevolent Organizations as he invited all to the 75^th anniversary.

Delivering a speech on behalf of the Minister of Education, the Deputy Minister of Education, Hon. Gifty Twum Ampofo congratulates the College on their anniversary and promise them of government commitment to resource them.

“I am reliable informed that the E.P. College of Education, Amedzofe happens to be the only tertiary institution in the Ho West District Assembly, as a result, government under the leadership of H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo is committed to providing the needed resources to enable the college to compete favorably with other sister Colleges of Education across the country”. She said.

She said, the focus of the Ministry as well as Colleges must be geared towards producing well equipped teachers who are positioned to address the educational needs of the country and urged Management of the College to put in place the needed programmes and policies to address the needs of the College.

According to Madam Ampofo, the ministry understands that it is the role of Central Government to provide the needed resources and infrastructure in the educational institutions adding that, Government will continue to work with relevant stakeholders to expand infrastructure in the Colleges of Education including AMECO

She added that, “the Government acknowledges the role of the Church and Alumni for their continues support to the College and asked them to do more to compliment government efforts”.

She further noted that, research and professional development have become a key component in this new dispensation where Colleges of Education have been elevated from Pre-tertiary to tertiary institutions and charge the Colleges to contribute to knowledge production to provide teaching, learning and professional practice in the classroom.

She therefore entreated the College to come out with innovation research work that can promote best practices in teaching and learning in the schools for socio-economic transformation of the country.