The government has explained that its decision to reintroduce the admission quota system at the Colleges of Education in the country is a result of limited infrastructure.

Government in a letter dated December 16, 2022, announced the reintroduction of the quota system for the 46 accredited Public Colleges of Education for the 2022/2023 academic year.

Education analysts believe this move will likely prevent prospective applicants from gaining admission into the various Colleges of Education in the country.

According to the list released by Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), a total of 12,002 prospective teacher trainees are expected to be admitted into the Colleges of Education for the 2022/2023 academic year.

In a letter to the National Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education (PRINCOF), the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission outlined the list of Colleges of Education with their respective admission quotas for the academic year under review.

Reacting to the new development in a Citi News interview, the Executive Director of GTEC, Professor Mohammed Salifu, said physical spaces at the various Colleges of Education are limited due to the running of the four-year system, hence the move to bring back the quota system and cut down on enrolment.

“We planned a programme of physical infrastructural expansion, but the expansion hasn’t kept pace with the progress of the cohort. So as it stands now, physical space is still a little limited. You would have heard that we have hostel projects going on across all the various colleges. While that is ongoing, we have to manage the space we have. That is what informed the decision,” the Executive Director of GTEC explained.

Professor Salifu debunked claims that the reintroduction of the quota system was due to the payment of teacher trainee allowances.

“As far as I’m concerned, there’s no policy change with the reintroduction of the trainee allowances, so that hasn’t been in the equation at all. It hasn’t been one of our considerations, we are dealing with an existing policy which recognises that we pay them [teacher trainees] allowances. But the numbers we are dealing with now are just numbers that are constrained by the physical space that the colleges have,” he emphasised.

However, the ranking member on the Education Committee of Parliament, Peter Norstsu Kotoe described the move as unfortunate, arguing that it will impede the progress of teaching in the country.

He charged the government to be truthful with Ghanaians on the allowances paid to teacher trainees, alleging that it lacks the funds to pay the teacher trainees.

“It’s rather unfortunate because day in and day out, the number of teachers we need in our schools is increasing especially at the pre-tertiary or the basic level. So I’m surprised that government can cut down on the number, reason being the lack of infrastructure, I disagree. They are only refusing to tell the public that government does not have money to pay the so-called allowances,” Mr. Kotoe said.

Abetifi Presbyterian College of Education has a permissible quota of admitting 300 students, whereas Holy Child College of Education can admit 273 students, Berekum College of education is also allowed to admit 320 students for the next academic year.

Methodist College of Education can also admit 195 students, and E.P College of Education, Amedzofe has a quota of 196.