For the first time in the history of our education system, Ghana will produce its first Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) cohort from our 46 public Colleges of Education.

The beginning teachers graduating from the B.Ed. meet the National Teachers' Standards and are well prepared to deliver the standards-based curriculum which was rolled out nationwide in 2019. This is a major milestone in Ghana’s ambition to become a learning nation.

We are confident that these new teachers will make a significant positive contribution to learning outcomes in our school system in the years to come.

As the world honours teachers on World Teachers' Day, Ghana's celebration coincides with the imminent graduation of the first batch of B.Ed. student teachers from the Colleges of Education.

This historic achievement is part of Ghana’s drive to professionalize teaching and to join the select community of nations requiring a Bachelor’s degree as a minimum qualification for entry into the teaching profession.

The Chronology and transformation to B.Ed. Colleges of Education, which were known as Teacher Training Colleges, had until 2007 run various pre-service teacher education programmes all in a bid to prepare the right teachers who are inspirational and aspirational to teach in the Ghanaian classroom.

Ghana has, over the years, run these pre-service teacher education programmes i.e., a 2-year Post-Middle Certificate 'B', a 4-year Post-Middle Certificate 'A' and a 3-year Post-Secondary Certificate 'A' programmes and other Modular tailored forms of training.

The government realised that there were issues with learning outcomes in the basic school system because of the way the entire pre-service teacher education was structured and delivered.

This provided the basis to focus and transform education delivery around producing teachers who, among others, are lifelong learners and able to respond to the changing needs of learners.

In 2004, following a comprehensive review of the educational system, 38 Teacher Training Colleges were upgraded into Diploma-awarding institutions and affiliated with the University of Cape Coast, our premier teacher training University.

In 2014, the Transforming Teacher Education & Learning (T-TEL) programme was designed and launched by the Government of Ghana and UK Aid with the mandate to work with the National Council for Tertiary Education, now Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and all 46 public Colleges of Education (CoEs) to deliver far-reaching reforms to improve the quality of pre-service teacher education.

This led to the development of a new teacher education curriculum fit for the 21st century and intended to ultimately give learners the skills to think independently, problem solve and collaborate in groups.

The new teacher education curriculum was anchored on the National Teacher Education Assessment Policy (NTEAP) and the National Teachers' Standards (NTS). These documents collectively codify what is expected from a teacher in Ghana today.

Subsequently, in October 2018, all 46 public CoEs began the delivery of the B.Ed. programme and a new arrangement of mentorship under 5 teacher education Universities i.e., UG, UCC, KNUST, UEW and UDS.

Student teachers studying in the B.Ed. programme specialises in Early Grade, Primary Education and Junior High Education.

This is a significant improvement from a diploma system to a more practical-oriented B.Ed. curriculum which allows pre-service teachers to have real classroom teaching experiences from the beginning of their training.

The year 2022 marks the fourth and exit year since the implementation of the B.Ed. programme and the implementation has experienced remarkable improvements in teaching and learning, leadership and governance, professional and institutional development, quality assurance and Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI).

On the occasion of the 2022 World Teachers’ Day, celebrated under the theme, "The Transformation of Education begins with Teachers", we want to congratulate all pre-service and in-service teachers, particularly our beginning teachers, for their resilience, hard work and dedication to raising the standard of the teaching profession and for the commitment and passion to shaping the minds of the younger generation. Congratulations!!!