NEW TEACHERS URGED TO BECOME CRITICAL THINKERS AND COACHES OF CREATIVITY

KYEBI, E/R. — The Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Professor Smile Gavua Dzisi, has urged newly trained teachers to move beyond merely transmitting information and instead inspire curiosity, promote critical thinking and nurture creativity among learners.

She said the rapidly changing educational landscape, driven by artificial intelligence, digital literacy and global connectivity, requires teachers to continuously adapt to new ways of teaching and learning.

Professor Dzisi made the call at the 18th Congregation of the Kibi Presbyterian College of Education in the Abuakwa South Municipality of the Eastern Region, where the fourth cohort of Bachelor of Education students graduated.

She challenged the graduands to redefine the teaching profession beyond the pursuit of a salary, urging them to embrace innovation, technology and emerging digital tools to enhance teaching and learning.

According to her, teachers could leverage technology to create educational content, provide online tutoring and expand access to quality education, particularly for learners who may have limited access to traditional educational resources.

Professor Dzisi noted that while a payslip reflects the monetary value society places on a profession, the true worth of teaching lies in its ability to shape future generations.

She said the impact of a dedicated teacher on society constitutes a form of wealth that cannot be measured by money or deposited in any bank.

COLLEGE GRADUATES 2,762 TEACHERS

The Principal of the Kibi Presbyterian College of Education, Rev. Dr. Charles Fosu-Ayarkwa, highlighted the institution’s major achievements during his tenure from 2018 to 2025.

He said the College had successfully trained and graduated 2,762 qualified teachers for the nation, with a significant number of students attaining first-class honours.

Rev. Dr. Fosu-Ayarkwa, however, identified inadequate teaching staff as one of the major challenges confronting the institution.

He also appealed for support to provide buses, including a 260-seater capacity bus, to improve the mobility of both teachers and students and enhance the smooth running of academic activities.

TEACHERS CHARGED TO PROMOTE DISCIPLINE

The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Opare Kwakye, charged the graduands to serve as moral ambassadors in schools at a time when discipline among students is increasingly becoming a concern.

Expressing worry over growing incidents of violence and criminal behaviour among students, including reports of some learners carrying machetes and firearms to school, he urged the newly trained teachers to uphold discipline and instil strong moral values in their students.

He reminded the graduands that, as educators grounded in Christian values and discipline, they had a critical responsibility to help shape responsible, law-abiding and morally upright citizens.

Rt. Rev. Dr. Opare Kwakye urged them to see teaching not merely as a profession, but as a calling that could have a lasting impact on individuals, communities and the nation.