100 years of growth! 100 years of academic landmarks! 100 years of excellence! Hurray!
WESCO is hundred years old!
100 years as the driving force of teacher education in the country is a great feat indeed. WESCO as an institution and as a brand has come this far: All by the grace of the Almighty God! Indeed, this is the doing of the Lord and it is marvellous in our sight.
As one of the oldest institutions in the country, Wesley College has consistently depicted what it means to be an institution of excellence. Through the challenges and the victories, we stand here today as a great institution poised to go to the next level and provide the best of education. The college may look nothing like its humble beginnings at Kemp, Aburi, but it continues to mirror the spirit and traditions of the Methodist Church Ghana and of God, the rock on whom the College is built.
From a humble beginning in 1922 at Aburi on the Akuapem hills of Ghana with only thirty students, the College now has a student population of one thousand seven hundred and fifty-nine (1,759) and the programmes offered in the College have been upgraded from 2-year Cert ‘B’ through a series of programmes to the new 4-year Bachelor of Education (BED) programme. The College of Education Act 847 on 27th June, 2012 was implemented. Currently, besides the General programmes run by all Colleges, Wesley College of Education offers special programmes in Science, Mathematics and French at the Bachelor of Education level. The First batch of students of the new 4-year B. ED Curriculum completed their programmes of study on 28th October, 2022 and the date for the graduation ceremony will be announced soon.
Presiding Chair, it is heartwarming to acknowledge the outstanding performance of the last batch of the Diploma in Basic Education Programme. With a total number of 410 students, the College recorded 32 first-class honours and 151, 132, 55, and 40 second-class upper, second-class lower, third class and pass awardees respectively.
The College is the centre of excellence. Between 26th-27th October, 2022, the College hosted the 2022 edition of the Ashanti, Brong and Ahafo Regions Inter-College of Education Debate and Quiz Competition. In all, 13 Colleges of Education took part in the competition. The College won the ultimate and the debaters were presented with a trophy and decorated with gold medals. The debaters will represent the ASHBA zone at the national level.
Presiding Chairman, last year, the student enrollment was 500, which happens to be the largest number in the history of the College. However, over the last three years, the enrollment of the College has been about 450 students made up of 270 men and 180 women. The student population of the current level 200 is composed of 223 males and 226 females. The figure indicates that the number of female students is more than that of their male counterparts. This situation is credited to the College’s Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) action plan, which seeks to improve female enrollment in the College.
As part of the measures put in place in the Colleges of Education where French is studied as a course to motivate the students and also to educate the public on the importance of French, the French Embassy in Ghana has instituted a scholarship package for the deserving students in the third year who are sent to France at the end of every fifth semester to pursue a programme of studies for two months. Two students (Gladin Ocran and Daniel Obimpeh) from Wesley College of Education are the beneficiaries of the package this year and are currently in France pursuing a programme. It is worth noting that last year, another student(Andrews Kpexor) who is now in the fourth year had a similar opportunity to travel to France for the same mission. Currently, the level 300 French students are in Togo for the Linguistic
Immersion in French programme as part of professional training. They are expected to return on the 15th December, 2022. The French Embassy in a bid to further motivate the students of French, has adopted a radio station in Kumasi (Garden City Radio) where students from Wesley College of Education now go to broadcast in French to the various communities. This arrangement encourages our French students to speak and by so doing, they will be practicing the spoken language which will also increase awareness of the importance of the French language.
Additionally, music festivals are organized periodically by the French department with the objective of introducing the learners to French culture and civilization as language and culture are closely intertwined. These programmes are also sponsored by the French Embassy. During such programmes, the students of French do all manner of performances in the French language, and they are awarded accordingly. Francophone artists are invited on such occasions to perform so as to portray the French culture.
It is worth mentioning that the Francophone International Organization (L’OIF) has recruited volunteer teachers from the Francophone countries, and has attached them to the various French departments in the Colleges of Education to facilitate the teaching and learning of French. Wesley College was given one volunteer. She has been with the department of French for almost a year now. It can be said that the French Embassy supports all the Colleges of Education that offer French with regard to continuous training of teachers and teaching resources in order to meet the needs and constraints of the public, as well as offering prompt material support (donating ICT equipment, books, textbooks etc. Presiding Chairman, since Wesley College of Education is now a tertiary educational institution, it is required that her tutors hold a minimum qualification of a research master’s degree. The Teaching Staff strength is fifty-eight (58) made up of 38 males and 20 females. With this number, all of them hold research masters with the exception of only 3 tutors who are yet to graduate from their respective master’s programmes.
As tertiary institution, the College staff promotion is based on article publication, community service and teaching evaluation. Currently, the College has one Principal Tutor and six Senior Tutors with about ten tutors who have submitted their documents for promotion. The College also has one PhD holder and sixteen tutors are also pursuing their doctorial programmes in different fields of study. The College continues to support education in Ghana in terms of high-level personnel. Within the last ten years, five of our teaching staff have secured teaching appointments in traditional universities as lecturers, one has also been appointed as the substantive Principal in one of the Colleges of Education in Ghana, three as heads of Secondary Schools and one as a District Director of Education. They include Very Rev. Joseph Nkyi Asamoah, Principal of Offinso College of Education, Dr. Kwabena Atakora, University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR)- Sunyani, Justical Gyan, Dr. Afia Ntoaduro, and Miss Victoria Nana Poku all at the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development-Kumasi (AAMUSTED) and Mrs. Peace Essie Atsu, The Pentecost University, Sowutuom, Greater Accra.
The rest are Mr. Ebenezer Kwegyir Ayensu, Headmaster, Berekum Senior High School, Miss Georgina, Anyan, Asokore-Mapong Municipal Director, GES, Headmaster Antoa Senior High School (all retired), Miss Felicia Duah-Kyei, Headmistress, Antoa Senior High School and Miss Patricia Sarpong, AsanteAkyem Central Municipal Director of Education. Presiding Chair, one area of College life that both past and present students are keen in knowing about is the performance of the various halls in sporting activities and the performance of the college teams in zonal competitions. The following tables show the performance of halls in the last four years
Sporting facilities have been enhanced to encourage students to perform better. At this point, Presiding Chair, permit me to thank these past students; Nana Yaw Sekyere Ababio and Mr. Osei-Tutu Agyemang who donated two sets of jerseys to the men’s soccer team and four footballs respectively to the College for the 2022 ASHBA Games. We are still waiting for other past students to bring in their donations.
I wish to appeal to all past students who were sportsmen and sportswomen to donate equipment in their disciplines to encourage the present students to perform better in games and sporting competitions.
Presiding Chair, some infrastructural changes have taken place on our campus within the last few years. The hardworking College Management, from its meagre internally generated funds has procured 30 modern computers to upgrade the existing computer laboratory to meet the standard of tertiary electronic learning and research. The laboratory also has swivel chairs for users’ comfort. All the computers are hooked to a server with internet connectivity with a wireless router to enable those with laptops to browse. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the College used its share from the Transition Support Fund donated by T-TEL to procure 50 levona laptops for tutors to facilitate online teaching and learning
Presiding Chair, permit me to add that the College has put up 2 semi-detached two-bedroom flats, one of which accommodates one of the two nurses who have been assigned to the
College sickbay by the Ankaase Methodist Hospital, a partner in health care delivery in the College. I must say that the building was fully funded by the College. The College Management in consultation with the Academic Board has set up a research centre, that is Centre for Educational Research and Innovative Learning (CERIL) to promote scientific writing and sourcing for grants to support projects in the College. This centre will also support tutors to publish their research work which is in line with the obvious tertiary demand. As the mantra goes, “If you don’t publish, you perish.” In addition, two more academic departments have been created, namely: French and Creative Arts. Again, 24 academic counsellors have been appointed to support student-teachers to overcome some challenges associated with their academic pursuits.
Presiding Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen. Wesley College has over the years prided herself in producing disciplined and responsible teachers. The current administration is doing its best to maintain the standards that our older generations have set. However, in the last few years, the level of discipline is going down. This may be attributed to the nationwide phenomenon of indiscipline in our country where people are not ready to adhere to simple rules and regulations.
Presiding Chair, at this point, permit me to pay glowing tribute to the founding fathers of this great college. The Methodist Church Ghana that mooted the idea to establish a college that has stood the test of time needs to be mentioned here. The providers of the parcel of land on which the college stands need to be patted on the back. This kind of benevolence has to be always told so that even those yet to be born will know about it. Nana Tafohene, on this occasion of our 100th Anniversary, we say many thanks to you and your forefathers who by the might of God gave us this land for the establishment of this college that has brought glory to Tafo, Asanteman and Ghana.
We also thank the present Tafohene most sincerely for the support we have received from him and his traditional council as a whole. It is also customary to pay tribute to Manhyia for accepting the Methodist Church into the Ashanti Kingdom. We also give thanks to the governments of Ghana over the years for supporting the college to date.
Now to past students of our College, we always have to remember that we were trained here and we owe a depth of gratitude to this College. Sometimes, it is very heartwarming when some past students pay visits to the College to familiarize themselves with what is happening in the college. However, there are many who are yet to visit their alma mater at least to show appreciation to the College. Such are always welcome. Be assured that every Saturday morning at the Principal’s Worship, prayers are said for all past students. The College remembers you so please do not forget your College. If there is no alumni association near you, form one. Do not say goodbye to Mother Wesley. Always remember your alma mater and lend a helping hand. Let us be guided by our College Anthem so that we will hear and heed the trumpet call of Christ and let the training we acquired from here influence our behaviour and guide us to hold fast to that which is good.
Presiding Chair, permit me to show the College’s appreciation to Mr. George Yaw Owusu (the Oil Magician), a member of the 1969 Year Group for donating ten thousand Ghana Cedis (GH 10,000.00) during the Armstrong/ Amissah Memorial Lectures held in Accra and also donating eight (8) 43’ inch plasma TV sets to all the twin-halls in the College. The College is equally grateful to the Methodist Church Ghana for donating GHC 10,000 to support the surgical operation cost of one of the visually impaired students who sustained a life-threatening injury. The College would also like to express her profound gratitude to the 1993 Year Group for their continual support to the College
Presiding Chairman, Wesley College is not without challenges. The college is beset with the following challenges: The Assembly Hall which was built in the 1950s for four hundred and twenty (420) students is now too small for almost one thousand eight hundred (1,800) students on campus. The students again have to squeeze themselves into the College Dining Hall. The College needs a new Auditorium that can seat about 2000 students and staff at a time. Another facility which is critically needed by the College is a modern lecture complex to promote effective teaching and learning since the existing classroom blocks lack a lot of resources. The architectural designs of these facilities were submitted to GETfund through Ghana Tertiary Education Commission about two years ago, waiting for consideration. The new Science block, which was built over ten years ago, is still not in use. What is left to be done is the internal fittings and fixtures. The building is getting deteriorated and if care is not taken, it cannot be fit for its purpose.
The College also is in need of a bus to convey students to the various assigned basic schools for Supported Teaching in Schools exercise which is an important aspect of the 4-year B. ED curriculum.
Most of our tutors live outside campus. This breeds indiscipline among students since the supervision and control of students are left on the shoulders of only a few resident tutors. We are appealing to all stakeholders to come to our aid in the provision of more tutors’ bungalows. Quite a number of tutors live in the Nana Dabankah building which was intended for students. This building has been rehabilitated for the tutors’ comfort as tutors lived under very trying conditions.
Again, our compound is very large, so we urgently need financial clearance from the Government to recruit more security personnel to ensure effective and adequate security since the current number is highly inadequate. Presiding Chair, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen. Before I take my seat, permit me to congratulate the hard-working staff of Mother Wesley both past and present including past Principals and their Vice Principals, who have over the years helped to nurture and instil discipline and good manners in the students. The cooperation I have received so far from the present staff is highly remarkable. The College would like to thank the Government of Ghana for the expansion projects ongoing on all the campuses of the 46 public colleges of education. That is the construction of 3-storey 300-capacity students’ hostels of which Wesley College is one of the beneficiaries.
Our special appreciation goes to all our sponsors and media partners, especially our flagship sponsor Ghana Gas for funding the first phase of one of our anniversary projects. That is the construction of a 3-storey, 2-bedroom semi-detached apartment. The project has gone through all the procurement processes and the contract has been awarded to 2BD Ghana Limited and work is ongoing.
The Manhyia North Member of Parliament, Hon. Akwasi Konadu has given Juliana Armstrong-Mensah Block a facelift by painting. Also, the 1999 year group donated a set of choir robes to the College choir. The college is also thanking Ghana Highway Authority for fixing the campus roads. To all our trading partners and friends, we say thank you for celebrating our anniversary with us. Thank you for your attention and God bless us all
Long live Ghana!
Long Live Asanteman!
Long live the Methodist Church Ghana!!
Long live Wesley College!!!