President John Evans Atta Mills has reaffirmed Government’s commitment towards women empowerment in the country. He said a vital area of such empowerment would be the application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for knowledge at the work place and home. President Atta Mills made the affirmation in a speech read on his behalf at the second congregation of Saint Theresa’s College of Education at Hohoe at the weekend. It was under the theme, “ICT in Teacher Education - Role of the Female Teacher”. A total of 148 students graduated with Diploma in Basic Education awarded by Institute of Education, University of Cape Coast (UCC). Four students had second class upper division, 36 had second class lower division, 84 had third class division and 18 had a pass. President Atta Mills urged students especially women to be proactive in the usage and application of ICT because available statistics indicated that most women had no interest in computers. He announced that government in collaboration with the Ministry of Education had an internet portal for the teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science for Junior High Schools and urged management of Colleges of Education and students to download the material for their study. President Atta Mills said government’s determination to provide a holistic education was on course and liaising with major development partners and stakeholders to improve teaching, learning, residential facilities and enhanced remuneration for all categories of workers under the education sector. He paid glowing tribute to the founding fathers for establishing the College and urged the graduands to be steadfast and worthy ambassadors in their chosen profession to affect society positively. Prof. Mrs Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, Vice-Chancellor of UCC said ICT was indispensable and one of the greatest inventions in the 21st century, which must be exploited to stimulate knowledge acquisition for rapid socio-economic growth. She said lack of complete integration of ICT into the curriculum of the College, design of sector-based or subject-based hardware and software for teaching and learning, analysis and evaluation was affecting the needed growth and development. Prof. Agyemang called on stakeholders in education to facilitate the acquisition and deployment of computer and other accessories in schools for easy Internet accessibility and connectivity. Dr Rose Mensah-Kutin, Executive Director of ABANTU for Development, a women’s right organisation congratulated the graduands and hoped the College would continue to train hardworking and intellectually stimulating women who would inspire others. She noted that even though women had not been formally excluded from higher education since independence, their numbers were low in terms of culturally, persistent institutional inequalities, which reflected lack of sufficient commitment to the production of women’s intellectual development in society. Mr Joseph Amenowode, Volta Regional Minister commended religious institutions for their role in providing sound, moral, spiritual and professional education in the country. He urged the graduands to leave above reproach in pursuit of the noble profession. Mrs Angelina Kutin Tandoh, Principal of the College said students population increased to 439 regulars, 700 Untrained Teachers Diploma in Basic Education (UTDBE), 32 teaching and 39 non-teaching staffs from the pioneering 35 students in 1961, then known as Women’s Training College. She said some problems facing the management were inadequate teaching, learning and residential facilities, encroachment on college’s lands, absence of fence wall to produce committed, disciplined and responsible teachers. Mrs Tandoh appealed to Government, Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Trust Fund, Ghana Book Trust and other major stakeholders and sympathisers to assist the College to overcome these challenges. Most Reverend Francis Anani Lodonu, Catholic Bishop of Ho Diocese, called for closer ties between the State and church towards fulfilling the spiritual and physical needs of mankind in contemporary world. Ms Kafui Kpodo was adjudged the overall best student for distinguishing herself academically in mathematics, ICT, science and catering. Ms Eunice Abbey received the best disciplined student award. source: GNA