The St Francis College of Education (FRANCO) at Hohoe in the Volta Region garnered 112 First Class Honours degrees out of the 525 graduands at its 17th congregation held last weekend.
The ceremony was held for the third batch of the Bachelor of Education degree graduates of the institution.
The First Class graduates comprised 74 males and 38 females.
A total of 333 graduates obtained a Second Class Upper division, 74, Second Class Lower division and six, a Third Class degree.
However, there were no passes or failures.
Report
In her report, the Principal of the college, Dr Adwoa Kwagyiriba, commended the government for placing all the staff on the university’s scale of emolument.
She noted that both the teaching and non-teaching staff had also undergone various capacity-building efforts, resulting in nine lecturers being awarded a Doctor of Philosophy ( PhD) degree.
Dr Adwoa Kwagyiriba lamented that although the institution was turning out well-trained professionals, its biggest challenge was the lack of proper means of transport.
She, therefore, made a passionate appeal for a bus that would convey the students, especially during their practical attachments.
Addressing the ceremony on the theme, “ Architects of the Future. Positioning Teachers as Key Influencers in Shaping the Society”, the guest speaker, Vice Chancellor of Ho Technical University, Professor Ben Quarshie Honyenuga, urged the graduands not to be afraid of any challenges, especially where they were posted to but rather look for opportunities there.
Architect
He said as an architect, they (graduands) must shine wherever they found themselves to ensure that the children who passed through their hands were moulded to be beneficial to society.
The graduates after being conferred with the degree
As an architect, Prof. Ben Honyenuga urged them to bring out designs that were in tune with the needs of society.
He asked them to see their profession as a calling and to mentor the children they teach.
He explained that the number of students and pupils who had passed through teachers' hands could not be quantified and paid for.
He expressed concern over the conduct of some teachers that had compelled society to disregard them as a port of call for advice.
The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, in a message read on his behalf, noted that teachers should work to improve their conditions and skills wherever they find themselves.
He, therefore, advised them that their graduation should not be the end of their studies.
