Dambai College of Education sends off last Batch of DBE Graduates
The last crop of Diploma in Basic Education (DBE) graduands from Dambai College of Education were on Saturday, May 22, 2021, successfully presented with their awards during the 15th Congregation of the College.
The College, located in the heart of the Oti Regional Capital – Dambai successfully graduated a total of 269 graduands consisting of 261 for the 2020 batch and eight (8) students from other batches.
Out of the total 261 graduands, 2 obtained First Class honours, 64 obtained Second Class Upper, 92 obtained Second Class Lower, 69 recorded Third Class, and 34 Pass.
The colourful event which was held at the Forecourt of the College’s Administration Block was graced by several dignitaries from academia and other spheres of life. The theme for the Congregation was “Blended Teaching and Learning in Colleges of Education – Implications, Challenges, and Prospects”.
Principal of the College, Dr. (Mrs.) Benedicta Atiku in her address congratulated the graduands for the feat chalked and urged them to be patient in all their dealings and been honest and diligent in their service to society.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Outlining some achievements in the period under review, the Principal indicated that the College under the able leadership of the Governing Council and with the hard work of Management, Staff, and Students, has seen some positive reformations in its structures and practices in providing a better academic environment for effective delivery of academic programmes.
She stated that the College has seen the renovation of all halls of residence and lecture blocks, purchase of 300 pieces of padded chairs for library and canteen services, purchase of 100 bunked beds and 250 6-inches high-density tertiary student mattresses, electrical extension works, construction of 180 capacity student hall, floral planting for beautification of the environment, approval of 19 administrative policies and reformation in the dinning system of students to improve the status of College catering services.
According to her a total of 39 capacity-building workshops have been attended by the staff with their attendant positive effects on our students and the College as a whole leading to improved learning outcomes. The College has also seen the installation of an e-library facility to mention but a few.
CHALLENGES
Dr. Atiku stated that though the College strives to close the male-female ratio gaps in all its endeavours, gender disparity continues to be registered as a result of infrastructural deficit and other economic and social factors.
Aside from inadequate halls of residence for students which need stakeholders’ urgent attention and intervention, the College also needs institutional health post, lecture blocks, staff bungalows, auditorium, and an administration block.
“We are using this forum to appeal to the Government to complete all our GETFund projects under construction. Similarly, other benevolent institutions and individuals should kindly come to our aid in addressing some of our infrastructural deficit challenges” the Principal added.
Dr. Mrs. Joyce Esi Tawiah–Mensah from the Department of Basic Education, the University of Cape Coast who was the Guest Speaker stated that “the COVID-19 pandemic has invaded all facets of human activities including education. We can all attest to the fact that this approach to teaching has permeated all levels of education including Colleges of Education and even basic schools. In the Colleges of Education, both Tutors and student teachers need this skill to survive in the current dispensation where physical human contact is being discouraged as much as possible. It behooves the student teachers to leave their teacher preparation programmes with a solid understanding of how to use technology effectively to support teaching”.
Dr. Esi Tawiah–Mensah further added that “blended instruction has become an integral part of teaching and learning the world over. Therefore, Tutors, as well as student teachers, need to acquaint themselves with the applicable applications and effective models that suit the environment in which they find themselves”.
The Oti Regional Minister, Hon. Joshua Makubu in his address pledged that the Regional Coordinating Council will make a case on behalf of the College to Government through the Ministry of Education for the modern classroom and dormitory facilities for the College.
Source: News Desk, Colleges of Education Weekly Journal
