Mr S. O. Nyarko, an educationist, has said that the current four-year diploma distance education course to upgrade Middle School Leaving Certificate (MSLC) holders to become professional teachers was not the best. Mr Nyarko told the Ghana News Agency at Oda that while the general objective of helping teachers to upgrade themselves was commendable, the current programme covering the MSLC holders could lower standards of education. He held that the basic requirement for any higher education should not be below Secondary School Certificate or the General Certificate of Education (GCE) because it provided a suitable threshold upon which an individual could pursue any advanced studies. He suggested that MSLC holders in the service should rather be helped to follow a programme that would enable them to obtain the West African School Certificate (WASCE) or its equivalent, which they could use to enter the Teacher Training Colleges. "Some remedial courses or modular programmes could be organized for them after which the successful ones should be allowed to pursue the programme," he explained. He also called for the reintroduction of the Certificate "A" four-year programme. Mr Nyarko recalled that previously, MSLC holders who wanted to be teachers entered the Teacher Training Colleges and were trained for four years after which they were awarded a Teachers' Certificate "A" Post Middle. "Later those who wanted to do the Diploma Course had to obtain the GCE "O" level certificate and even write an examination organized by the institution of their choice." Mr Nyarko said those enrolled by the institutions pursued a three-year intensive programme and upon successful completion, were awarded the Teachers' Diploma certificate. "There are also post-Secondary Teachers who are striving to pass exams and interviews before they would be admitted to pursue a three-year programme for the Teachers' Diploma Certificate Course in the Universities". He said with these examples, it was inappropriate for MSLC holders to pursue the same programme for four years. "The knowledge base for the MSLC holders would be too low for such a higher certificate in the profession that calls for higher academic achievement in order to enhance effective performance," he added. Source GNA