The University for Development Studies (UDS) has entered into an agreement with the Transforming Teaching, Education Learning (T-TEL), a non-profit organization, to improve teaching and learning in the Colleges of Education. The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) took place on Tuesday, March 30, 2021 in the Vice-Chancellor’s Office, Tamale Campus.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gabriel Ayum Teye signed for the University for Development Studies while Mr. Robbin Todd, the Executive Director, signed for Transforming Teaching, Education Learning (T-TEL).

As part of the MoU, the two institutions will partner each other to realise the successful implementation of a project dubbed, Transforming Senior High School Education, Teaching and Learning. The project which is sponsored by MasterCard Foundation is of two phases and aimed at empowering every SHS graduate with the requisite knowledge, analytical skills, thinking and practical skills needed for further studies and work. The first phase of the project which is for 2 years is expected to end in 2023. Subject to the success of the first phase of the project, the second phase that is for 4 years will then be rolled out to last up to 2027.

The government introduced some reforms as part of measures to improve education in Ghana. Among them was the introduction of what it called a 4 year B.Ed.in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in the colleges of Education as a minimum qualification needed to teach in Ghanaian schools.

With UDS being one of the public universities designated by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to oversee the implementation of the 4-year B.Ed. programmes of study in the Colleges of Education, it becomes mandatory on it to ensure the success of the programme in all its six (6) affiliate Collages of Education namely: Tumu, McCoy, Dambai, Gambaga, St. Vincent and Al-Faruq Colleges of Education.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gabriel Ayum Teye assured the team of the commitment of UDS towards the success of the programme. This commitment was further reiterated by Prof. Anthony K. Donkor, who is the Director at the Directorate of Colleges of Education Affiliation, UDS, adding that his outfit is ready and willing to execute the programme to the latter and will also summit periodic progress reports on the programme for consideration.

Dr. Ahmed Jinapo, Deputy Director General of GTEC and Mr. Robbin Todd, Executive Director of T-TEL both expressed their gratitude to the Management of UDS and assured the Vice-Chancellor of their maximum cooperation to make the programme a success.

Also present at the meeting were Mr. Jerry Sarfo of GTEC, Beryl Oppong of T-TEL, Dr. Ebenezer Owusu-Sekyere of UDS and the UR team among others.