The Akufo-Addo government has taken a giant decision to construct 3-storey 300-bed capacity Hostel Blocks in all the 45 Public Colleges of Education in the country. The projects, which starts next month at an estimated cost of GHC485m is being financed by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund).
Speaking to journalists in Accra last week Friday, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the sector minister, said the project, which was conceived by the Government through the Ministry of Education (MOE) and its agency, Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) is aimed at helping resolve accommodation challenges in the colleges.
According to Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the projects, which are to be executed by 45 local contractors and expected to be completed in 15 months would be handed over to the colleges by August 2023.
Dr Adutwum was sure that with the measures put in place so far, the contractors would be able to execute the project on schedule.He added that to ensure timely delivery, the GTEC and MOE are in discussions with GETFund to make available an Advance Mobilisation loan of at least 10 per cent of the contract sum to each of the contractors to enable them to move to sight as soon as possible to start work.
The Education Minister hinted that all the construction works are expected to generate over 2500 direct and indirect temporary employment for the Ghanaian youth.
Again, he announced that upon completion, the project stood the chance of improving effective teaching and learning in the colleges, which trains a larger chunk of teachers for the pre-tertiary sector of education in the country, which would in the long run lead to improvement in the quality of education in the country.
As part of the government’s Education Reforms, all public Colleges of Education have been converted into 4-year Bachelor of Education degree awarding institutions.
This has necessitated the need to expand facilities to accommodate the increasing number of students and also improve teaching and learning.
It is based on this that the government, through the Ministry of Education and its agencies; the Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) agreed to undertake the construction of the hostels.
