Develop modern pedagogies to meet needs of learners — Haruna Iddrisu

This year’s National Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education, Ghana (PRINCOF) has ended in Ho with a renewed call on teachers to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital solutions to develop modern pedagogies that meet the evolving needs of learners.

The week-long conference was on the theme: “Leveraging AI technology in colleges of education in Ghana for improved teacher education.”

AI not an option

The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, in a speech read on his behalf, said at the official opening of the conference that AI was reshaping global education and Ghana must position itself strategically to benefit from its immense potential.

Participants in the conference

“AI is not an option; it is a must,” he said.

Mr Iddrisu said teachers must be equipped with the appropriate tools and competencies to guide learners in the rapidly changing world.

He assured that the Ministry of Education acknowledged the continuous leadership of PRINCOF in strengthening teacher education reforms, noting that its commitment to excellence ensured that colleges of education remained central to national development and human capital transformation.

Mr Iddrisu reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to supporting PRINCOF in advancing technology and AI into teacher education.

The Director of the Institute of Education, the University of Cape Coast, Professor Eric Anane, who was the keynote speaker, said the teacher was a key factor in what went on in the classroom.

He pointed out that training teachers was not only meant for the classroom but also for life, adding, “So, we are training teachers for a changing world.”

Prof. Anane said AI could help personalise learning and meet the varied expectations of students, highlighting faculty's capacity to respond to the growing AI trend.

“We can no longer go manual to generate data, if teachers are to perform their roles creditably as mentors, mediators and facilitators in the rapidly evolving digital world,” Professor Anane said.

Quality teachers

The President of PRINCOF, Prof. Samuel A. Atintono, said the key objective of PRINCOF was to promote the training of quality teachers for basic schools.

In that regard, he said PRINCOF pursued effective management of the Colleges of Education in collaboration with relevant government agencies and institutions.

The Deputy Volta Regional Director of Education, Marian Jemima Akua Adzroe, said AI was far more than a tool of convenience.