For years, the Bono East Region has had to make do with just one Public Teacher Training College, the Atebubu College of Education (ATECOE), serving the entire region.

The consequence has been dire for aspiring teachers, particularly those in the western corridor, including the Techiman North and South areas. Every year, students who dream of becoming teachers are forced to scramble for the few available accommodation slots, and many more are compelled to travel far away from home to pursue their training.

That long-standing headache is, however, set to become a thing of the past.

A vision born in Techiman North

Authorities in the Techiman North District, led by the Member of Parliament for the area, Elizabeth Ofosu Adjare, who doubles as the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, conceived the idea of constructing a college in partnership with the Catholic Diocese.

The facility, to be known as the St. Dominic College of Education, is expected to boost education in the area, absorb the many students who wish to pursue teacher training, and raise the level of learning in a district where many young people end their academic journey after senior high school.

Regional Minister monitors progress

On Thursday, September 24, the Bono East Regional Minister, Francis Owusu Antwi, was in Techiman North to monitor ongoing government projects in the district, and he made a stop at the project site of the St. Dominic College of Education in Tuobodom.

The Regional Minister, who expressed satisfaction with the progress of work, said the project, when completed, will help increase enrollment for tertiary education in the area.

"This project is a game-changer. When completed, it will not only increase enrollment for tertiary education in this area but also ensure that we retain our youth here to train as professionals," he said.

GETFund support

The District Chief Executive for the area, Adom Kwabena Johnson, who accompanied the Regional Minister during the tour, said the government had helped in getting more projects for the school through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund).

According to him, this will mean education in the country will be enhanced, as more teachers will be trained to help with the new schools being built across the country.

"As we build new schools across the nation, we need trained teachers to fill those classrooms. St. Dominic is going to be a factory for that talent," he noted.

What it means for the region

The completion of the St. Dominic College of Education is expected to:

1. End the accommodation scramble that has plagued teacher trainees in the western part of the Bono East Region for years.
2. Bring tertiary education closer to home for students in Techiman North and South.
3. Increase enrollment in teacher training and produce more qualified teachers for the country's growing number of schools.
4. Boost the local economy of Tuobodom and its surrounding communities.

With the Catholic Diocese as partners and the government providing the needed infrastructure, the St. Dominic College of Education is not just a construction site; it is a beacon of hope for thousands of young people who have long been denied the opportunity to train as teachers right at their doorstep.