Reintroduction of Quota System for Ghana’s Public Colleges of Education by the Government.
In an effort to improve the quality of education in Ghana, the government has announced the reintroduction of the quota admission system for the 46 accredited Public Colleges of Education, effective from the beginning of the 2022/2023 academic year. The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) recently communicated to the National Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education (PRINCOF) the number of permissible admissions for prospective teacher trainees for the 46 colleges of education.
GTEC made it clear that the allocated numbers cannot be altered and must be strictly followed. “For the avoidance of doubt, payment of Feeding Grants and Trainee Allowances will be guided by these members,” the commission stated in its letter.
This move aims to ensure that every institution maintains a certain standard of student intake and that the government is better able to support the teacher training program through the proper allocation of resources.
Projection of Enrollment in Public Colleges of Education for the 2023/2024 Academic Year
Below is a list of the colleges and their permissible admission numbers:
| No | College of Education | Total Permissible Admission |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abetifi Presbyterian College of Education | 300 |
| 2 | Accra College of Education | 295 |
| 3 | Ada College of Education | 250 |
| 4 | Agogo Presbyterian Women’s College of Education | 291 |
| 5 | Akatsi College of Education | 288 |
| 6 | Akrokerri College of Education | 320 |
| 7 | Al-Faruq College of Education | 180 |
| 8 | Atebubu College of Education | 300 |
| 9 | Bagabaga College of Education | 320 |
| 10 | Berekum College of Education | 320 |
| 11 | Bia Lamplighter College of Education | 200 |
| 12 | Dambai College of Education | 230 |
| 13 | E.P. College of Education, Amedzofe | 196 |
| 14 | E.P. College of Education , Bimbilla | 290 |
| 15 | Enchi College of Education | 280 |
| 16 | Foso College of Education | 290 |
| 17 | Gambaga College of Education | 255 |
| 18 | Gbewaa College of Education | 280 |
| 19 | Holy Child College of Education | 275 |
| 20 | Jasikan College of Education | 285 |
| 21 | Kibi Presby College of Education | 295 |
| 22 | Komenda College of Education | 290 |
| 23 | Mampong Technical College of Education | 289 |
| 24 | Mccoy College of Education | 160 |
| 25 | Methodist College of Education | 195 |
| 26 | Mount Mary College of Education | 260 |
| 27 | N.J. Ahmadiyya College of Education | 272 |
| 28 | Offinso College of Education | 275 |
| 29 | Our Lady Of Apostle’s College of Education | 300 |
| 30 | Peki College of Education | 243 |
| 31 | Presbyterian College of Education, Akropong | 320 |
| 32 | Presby Women’s College of Education, Aburi | 216 |
| 33 | SDA College of Education, Asokore | 250 |
| 34 | SDA College of Education, Agoma | 194 |
| 35 | St. Ambrose College of Education | 186 |
| 36 | St. Francis College of Education | 290 |
| 37 | St. John Bosco’s College of Education | 250 |
| 38 | St. Joseph’s College of Education | 260 |
| 39 | St. Louis College of Education | 300 |
| 40 | St. Monica’s College of Education | 290 |
| 41 | St. Vincent College of Education | 160 |
| 42 | St. Teresa’s College of Education | 180 |
| 43 | Tamale College of Education | 313 |
| 44 | Tumu College of Education | 217 |
| 45 | Wesley College of Education | 300 |
| 46 | Wiawso College of Education | 252 |
Causes of the Collapse of the Quota System
The decision to scrap the teacher trainee allowances for colleges of education by former President John Mahama led to the collapse of the quota system which had been in existence for almost three decades. The allowance was replaced with student loans from the Student Loan Trust Fund to increase enrolment in the various colleges of education and reduce the financial burden on the government. As a result, the quota system was no longer used by the various colleges of education.
The then Deputy Minister for Education, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said the quota system had become inimical to the progress of teacher education, and the decision to remove it was to increase enrolment into the colleges of education from 27,000 to 47,000. He added that the government had increased the allocation for the Students Loan Trust to support the teacher trainees who require financial assistance.
However, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) promised to restore the teacher trainee allowances during the 2016 elections. The then-running mate to the presidential candidate of NPP and now Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, argued that the nurse’s and teacher trainee allowances were non-negotiable. After winning the 2016 elections, the NPP restored the nursing and teacher trainee allowances and promised not to bring back the quota system for the colleges of education.
Professor Kwesi Yankah, the Minister of State in Charge of Tertiary Education in 2017, noted that Colleges of Education could admit as many qualified applicants as their available facilities could allow without compromising quality and standards. He assured that the government would not introduce a quota system for admission that could prevent many prospective applicants from getting admission into teacher training colleges.