The best-graduating student at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) 2023 Congregation, Miss Eyra Arnong has appealed to the government to post teachers who acquired the teaching profession through the College of Distance Education (CoDE) programme to teach in Ghana’s public schools.
Miss Eyra Arnong graduating with a CGPA of 3.9104 was named the valedictorian for the year group 2023 of the 56th Congregation held at UCC’s New Examination Center on 3rd May 2024.
Miss Eyra Arnong who pursued a Bachelor of Education in Educational Psychology with CoDE-UCC said: “Because our programme is run through distance education, we have not been given much credit. If you get educated through distance education, people think the certificate is not worth it and that the students have not put much effort in learning.”
Speaking in an interview with Miss Eyra after the graduation ceremony, the scholar lamented that the Ministry of Education (MoE) has not expedited steps to post the graduate teachers with distance education certificates to teach in the public schools which remains the major predicaments for the professional teachers.
She noted that there is no difference in curriculum contents for students studying through distance education and students trained at the public Colleges of Education campuses adding that the training provides both groups with the same professional knowledge required in the classroom.
“We don’t get posted which is a real challenge we face. We also put in much effort and learn as other students pursuing education professions on the main campuses. The mode of education does not matter, what is paramount is the knowledge we acquire and what we have to offer,” she asserted.
She added: “We have acquired academic and professional skills and other core values like self-confidence for personal grooming and societal development.”
The academician urged the colleague graduates to act as agents of positive change where their services are required saying: “The ultimate is to transform the country and the world at large. So, as we graduate today, let us not forget that our achievements and certificates are not mere accolades, but springboard to launch us into the world and transform it.”
Gaining recognition as valedictorian, Miss Arnong received other academic awards: best-graduating student in Educational Psychology, Albert Kobina Koomson’s award for best-graduating student in 2023, and a scholarship for a Master in English Language at the University of Cape Coast.
Miss Arnong was born in Mepe, Volta Region’s North Tongu District, and studied business at the Ada Senior High Technical School (ASTECH) in 2009. In 2013, she graduated as one of Ghana’s last batches of Senior High School students who accomplished a four-year SHS program.
