The Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) has warned of mass exams failure at the end of term examination due to little contact hours with students in the colleges of education.

The Association wants the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) and Ghana Education Service to review the current exams timetable issued for the colleges' end of year exams.

They are requesting an increase in the number of contact hours students will have on campus with them to help them adequately prepare them for the exams.

They say one week is not enough time to prepare to write eight courses.

After the Covid-19 pandemic compelled government to close down all academic institutions, continuing students had to conduct their studies on virtual platforms.

These same students are now expected to return to their various colleges and prepare to sit for their end of year exams within a one week period.

Given the fact that students stayed at home for nearly 6 months, the president for the Association, Augustine Appiah explains that the one week revision time given to students is insufficient for effective preparation towards the exam.

"Students were compelled to stay home and access platforms online to study and it is now time for them to return to campus, but we have a lot of challenges that we want authorities to address. With respect to accessibility of the platforms which most of our students, about 30 per cent of students, were unable to access the platform and for that matter students are compelled to come back to campus for one week mop up and we think in a way it will not help us. So we are craving the indulgence of authorities to reconsider the exams timetable."

Mr Appiah further explained that because of the pandemic a large number of the students were unable to join most of the classes while at home, as the cost of internet access was not within their means.

Courses such as mathematics, he said, was not effectively taught on virtual platforms because some drawings and other complex learning tools that come with the course are best taught in an interactive environment.

He thus pleaded with the "appropriate stakeholders to as matter of urgency extend the one week period for revision".

According to him, last year, more than 450 students were expelled from their colleges after they failed to meet the minimum credit hour requirements.

Mr Appiah fears the situation might worsen this year if immediate steps are not taken to avert the looming mass failure in these teacher training institutions.

Meanwhile, the Ashanti-Bono Ahafo (ASHBA) sectors of the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana organized a writing challenge for students while during the lockdown.

Dubbed ASHBA Writing Challenge 2020, the contest was held to sharpen the students’ communication skills.

Out of the 139 participants from various training colleges in Ashanti and Bono Ahafo regions, 3 students emerged winners.

Baffoe Mike Kusi from Wesley College of Education in Kumasi who was crowned winner told Luv News "life would have been boring without the writing challenge.

"It really kept me busy and learning at the same time. Lots of research had to go into the writeup so I am fulfilled that my hard work has brought me this far".

He thanked the organizers and hoped that competitions of this nature would be maintained to help unearth the hidden potential of students.

Other sectors were encouraged to initiate activities to discover students’ potential and ensure personal growth for national development.

Eryoko Sia Bediako Isaiah, president of Ashanti and Bono Ahafo sector of the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (ASHBA-TTAG) said:

"We planned to have a debate but Covid-19 and its subsequent shut down of schools made us adjust our ideas. Therefore we came up with this writing challenge to boost students ideas, communication skills and learning abilities.

"We have compiled all the write-ups of the 139 applicants in a pdf format for all students to access [it] so that the intended impact would be achieved".