He said the country should take the French language seriously and start learning from the basic education level, especially since the country was surrounded by Francophone countries.

The President said that in a speech read on his behalf by the Deputy Minister of Energy, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, at the 10th graduation ceremony of Mount Mary College of Education at Somanya in the Yilo Krobo Municipality in the Eastern Region.

“The place of education on the agenda of the government cannot be overemphasised.

I believe by now, every citizen of this country is aware of my association and passion for French language, and this college is significant because it is the first college of education, where teachers of French are trained for our basic schools,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo said he was aware of the challenges facing the college, especially the road from the college junction in Somanya to the school, which needed urgent attention.

“I am aware of the terrible nature of your roads and I am right away charging the appropriate agencies to take immediate actions to remedy this unfortunate situation,” he added.

He said the plans of the government towards upgrading of Colleges of Education to enable them award degrees was on course.

The President urged the graduating students to put up their best wherever they found themselves in the interest of the nation.

Educational standards

The guest speaker, Prof. D. D. Kupuule, who is the immediate past Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, attributed the falling standard of education in the country to inadequate resources to support the sector.

He said quality professional teachers contributed effectively to teaching and learning and urged the graduands to be innovative, creative, proactive and also apply the professional skills they had acquired to enhance their delivery in the classroom.

The Principal of the College, Mrs Cecilia Esinam Agbleh, in a report said the college produced a total of two batches of teachers, made up of 489 Untrained Teachers Diploma (UTDBE) in Basic Education by distance learning and 476 regular Diplomas in Basic Education (DBE).

She catalogued a number of challenges facing the institution and appealed for help to enable the college deliver better services.

The Chairman of the Governing Council, Most Rev. Joseph Affrifah Agyekum, admonished the newly trained teachers not to engage in corrupt practices as they entered into the teaching profession.
“Do not be corrupt teachers, do not take bribes before you perform your rightful duties which you are paid for,” he stressed.