The University of Education, Winneba, has so far trained a total of 7,978 professional teachers through its distance education programme.
Currently, a total of 17,001 students from the southern and northern sectors of the country have been enrolled to pursue courses to become professional teachers, under the programme.
Professor Akwasi Asabere-Ameyaw, Vice Chancellor of the University, made these known at the matriculation of 618 students to pursue Diploma in Basic Education by distance education at the College of Technology Education, in Kumasi on Saturday.
The distance education programme that began in 1996 was being run in 13 study centres throughout the country.
They are Atebubu, Bechem, Enchi, Kumasi, Navrongo, Tamale and Wa, which formed the northern sector zone and Accra, Cape Coast, Dambai, Hohoe, Koforidua and Winneba, which constituted the southern sector Zone.
Prof. Asabere-Ameyaw said this year, a total of 1,601 students have been admitted to pursue Diploma in Basic Education by distance education at the two zones and that 64 per cent of the intake was females.
He said the introduction of the Capitation Grant and School Feeding Programme as well as the distribution of free school uniforms and exercise books to basic school children have increased enrolment in primary and Junior high Schools and the required the training of more teachers.
Prof. Ameyaw-Asabere said that the introduction of Distance Learning was to complement the production of teachers by teacher training institutions in the country.
He said with the assistance of Carnegie Corporation of New York, the University has equipped the study centres with computers, public address systems furniture and other learning aids to ensure effective learning.
Prof. Ameyaw-Asabere encouraged the students to study hard to enable them to acquire qualifications to enable them to contribute to the development of education in the country.