The Ministry of Education has granted a special dispensation for the training of 80 teachers, in the six Teacher Training Colleges in Education, in the Eastern Region, to help solve the crippling shortage of teachers in the Kwahu North District.About 200 classrooms in the district do not have teachers.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, at Tease at the weekend, said the deal, worth millions of cedis, is being borne by the assembly with the support of the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council, which is spearheading the project.
He said as a result of the appalling teacher situation, the Regional Coordinating Council asked the Ministry of Education to grant a special request for the training and bonding of people from the district who would be required to serve in the district for not less than five years.
Mr Ofosu Ampofo said the Koforidua -based Seventh-Day Adventist College of Education, the Presbyterian College at Akropong Akuapem, the Kyebi Presbyterian College, the Abetifi Teacher Training College, the Presbyterian Women's College at Aburi and the Mount Mary's Training College at Somanya agreed to support the programme.
They subsequently visited Donkorkrom where a special enrolment exercise was organized with 80 of the over 300 applicants selected to start training in September.
The 80 teachers would complement the regular teachers to be posted.