FACULTY OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION ORGANISES WORKSHOP FOR LECTURERS

The Principal of the College of Technology Education, Kumasi (COLTEK), University of Education, Winneba (UEW), Prof. (Ing.) Reynolds Okai has given the strongest indication yet to staff of his aversion for acts that tended to lower standards and slow the College’s pace of progress. In that light, he has announced that from next year, Deans of Faculty, Directors and Heads of Department of the College would be made to sign yearly performance contracts to make for easy evaluation of their outputs. Prof. Okai, who was speaking at a day’s workshop for academic staff of the Faculty of Technical Education (FTE), last November 1 4, 2017 in Kumasi, used the opportunity to encourage all staff to yield to COLTEK’s determined efforts towards achieving excellence.

“I will call for a meeting with all Deans of Faculty on this performance contract issue as soon as possible so this can start in earnest from next year”, he said.

The Principal pledged the College Management’s unwavering support for the FTE, hinting that already some equipment had been ordered to beef-up the stock at the FTE’s several workshops. “I am reliably informed about your efforts toward expanding your programmes to be in sync with modern demands going forward. This, I must confess, is quite commendable. We must all put our hands to the wheel and drive COLTEK to the deserved place of excellence and progress”, he added. The Dean of FTE,

Prof. Stephen Jobson Mitchual reminded participants of the Faculty’s focus to expand and improve teaching, a situation that required that they dug deep into thinking and brought up innovative ideas to make the FTE better. “In the near future, we should be able to increase our currently four departments to about 10 or even evolved into four Faculties”, he said brimming with hope. Prof. (Ing.) Nicholas Kyei-Baffour (a visiting professor) presented a paper on “Teaching and Learning in Higher Education” to participants in which he asked lecturers to change their approach to teaching so students would move away from always chewing and pouring to learning that makes them creative and entrepreneurial.

“We must also be guided by the needs of society and the labour market”, he said and explained that lecturers must prepare adequately before going to class in terms of investigating the needs and characteristics of students and defining lesson objectives quite aptly.

Other topics deliberated at the workshop were “Review and expansion of Academic Programmes – Review of Existing Programmes”, by Mr C. K. Nworu and “Practical Activities, their relevance in the teaching and learning of TVET Education, Ing. S. K. Amoakohene. Additionally, all four the HoDs of Information Technology Education; Mechanical and Automotive; Electrical and Electronic as well as Construction and Wood gave a presentation on the vision of their respective departments for the 2017/2018 academic year for thorough discussions by participants for fine-tuning.