Data Link Institute of Business & Technology

Speech Delivered By Mr. Ernest Ansah as Special Guest at The Inauguration Of Professor William Kofi Koomson as The Eighth Principal Of SDA College Of Education, Asokore, Koforidua

Chancellors herein gathered

Chairman and Members of Council

Past and Present Vice Chancellors Pro Vice Chancellors and Principals

Registrars

Nana nom

Faculty and Staff Present

Students and Alumni of SDA College of Education

Representatives of the Clergy

Representatives of affiliate Universities and Colleges

Invited Guests

Friends from the Media

Ladies and Gentlemen

I bring you special greetings from the Management and staff of Data Link Institute in Tema.

I would like to thank the organisers for inviting me to speak at this all important function.

I am most delighted to be here and would like to use this opportunity to speak briefly on “Development Education,” which suffers a lot of setbacks in our part of the world.

Development education is “An ACTIVE learning process that helps teacher-trainees to understand the world around them and act to transform it” This can be categorized into Three (3) namely: education of the head, education of the heart and education of the hands.

The head looks at exploring global development issues. The heart explores values and human rights leading to empathy whereas the hands looks for ways teacher-trainees can be supported to take action to bring about a better society for all.

Development Education helps teacher-trainees realize their potential as global citizens and addresses issues that are current and relevant.  It also equips them with critical thinking information skills, processing systems thinking, and the communication needed to address local and global developmental issues.

Development education also seeks to examine issues of human rights, dignity, self-reliance, and social justice in both developed and developing countries. These skills, when inculcated in the training schools’ syllables and are taught, will help teacher-trainees to think outside the box.

Gone are the days when teacher-trainees chew, pass and forget. The world is changing rapidly, hence the need to adjust our educational system to be on the same level with the developed countries. Failure to do so would result in teacher-trainees completing their training but lack adequate skills to train children to compete with the world. The onus lies on you Prof. Koomson to produce quality teachers who will possess skills and qualities to stand head and shoulders above others.

Attitudes that bring the standard of education into disrepute should be discouraged so that this great College will stand above its competitors and serve as a benchmark for other educational institutions in the country to emulate.

As a teaching College, your work aims at supporting young upcoming teachers to increase their awareness and understanding of the interdependent and unequal world in which we live. This can be done through a process of interactive learning, debate, action, and reflection.

As the former UN Secretary-General (SG) has said: “People are the greatest wealth of any country, but that wealth must be built on quality education”.

Education opens the door to unlimited possibilities. It helps to change mindsets, to dream and to bridge the gap between the reality we have and the future we choose to create. We all have the sole responsibility to make this a reality.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, on the international scene; policy makers, leaders and stakeholders as well educational institutions, are continuously working towards innovative ways of improving the quality of education and making it catalyst for national development.  The use of technology in education is one innovative way of ensuring quality, access and participation.

Education cannot develop without establishing collaborations and partnerships. A popular quote from Henry Ford states that, “Coming together, is a beginning, staying together is progress and working together is success”. I wish to emphasize that these partnerships are needed to consolidate policies and interventions and also to build capacity for stakeholders to make them relevant and in tune with both internal and global developments.

Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, a major setback to the development of Education in Ghana over the last two or three decades has been funding,

especially in tertiary education.

As I reflected on the theme; developing education in Ghana, several things came to mind and one that was profound and will possibly solve most of the challenges surrounding Education in Ghana is what has been clearly captured in sister ENG Whites Education Pg. 573, subtitled the greatest want of the world. Permit me now to quote:

The greatest want of the world is the want of men – men who will not be bought or sold; men who in their inmost souls are true and honest; men who do not fear to call sin by its right name; men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole; men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall’’ end of quote.

Professor Koomson, once again, congratulations and well done. What we see today is a call to duty and the keyword is Service. Be firm but fair and let the Lord direct your path in everything you do. Know that you are leading a team so remember to carry them along in with you, you are not only training for now but also for eternity.

Once again I say congratulations for this major milestone; I trust you will lead this College to greater heights.

I take this opportunity to urge stakeholders gathered here today, to reflect on– what kind of educational system would we want to see in Ghana?

In conclusion, I wish God’s guidance, providence and protection in the performance of our individual roles and duties. Let us be united and work together.

Thank you.