Colleges of Education to get GHC4.6m Transition Support Fund for Staff Professional dev’t

The government through the Ministry of Education has set aside GHC4.6million as Transition Support Fund (TSF) for Colleges of Education.

The TSF is a GH¢4.6M fund that Colleges of Education can access for the professional development and upgrading of both their teaching and non-teaching staff.

What is the Transition Support Fund?

Led by the Ministry of Education, the Transition Support Fund is a performance-based funding mechanism through which colleges of education can access funds for the professional development and upgrading of both their teaching and non-teaching staff.

Primarily, it has been designed to meet the need for all current CoE tutors to reach the minimum required academic qualifications standards set out by the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) and the National Accreditation Board (NAB) by 2022.

It is designed to enable CoEs to be responsible for their own continuous improvement, putting in place systems and processes to address under performance in the implementation of the B.Ed. curriculum.

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Who is eligible?

The TSF is available to Colleges of Education who can provide evidence that they are aligning the implementation of the new B.Ed. to the Government Policy for Teacher Education Reform and that what they are doing reflects the requirements of the National Teachers’ Standards (NTS) and the National Teacher Education Curriculum Framework (NTECF).

To receive TSF funds, Colleges of Education must pass all four of the following areas of assessment:

1. Are tutors teaching their student teachers effectively and appropriately in line with the NTS and NTECF?
2. Are student teachers being assessed effectively and appropriately in line with the NTS and NTECF?
3. Is Supported Teaching in Schools being carried out effectively and appropriately in line with the NTS and NTECF?
4. Are tutors actively engaging in their own professional development by regularly attending weekly Professional Development sessions linked to the NTS and NTECF?

How will it work?

NCTE and NAB will select a team to conduct implementation visits to all colleges to assess the extent to which implementation of the B.Ed. degree is aligned with the NTS and the NTECF.

The visits will:

• Assess the consistency in the quality of the teaching and assessment of student teachers and the preparation and experience of STS.
• Identify areas of the B.Ed. curriculum where implementation is closely aligned to reform policy and areas where support or further continuing professional development (CPD) may be needed
• Capture good practice in the delivery of the B.Ed. degree

Monitoring teams will use a checklist and provide recommendations to the colleges about steps they can take to strengthen implementation so they can improve their scores in subsequent assessment rounds. The teams will submit a report and make a recommendation for the award of funds based on the outcome of their visit.

Colleges will not be expected to produce any reports.

What will each CoE receive and over what time period?

There are four opportunities for colleges to receive up to GHC 100,000 between July 2019 and July 2020. At each assessment round, colleges can receive GHC 50,000 twice during this period. Once this has been awarded twice, they will not be visited again.

• Assessment round 1: October 2019. If a college successfully meets all assessment areas they will be awarded GHC 50,000. If a college fails to achieve all areas they will receive nothing.
• Assessment round 2: November 2019. If a College successfully meets all assessment areas they will be awarded an additional GHC 50,000. If a College fails to achieve all areas they will receive nothing.
• Assessment round 3: March 2020 for colleges that have failed one or more of their previous assessments.
• Assessment found 4: July 2020 for colleges that have failed one or more of their previous assessments.

What is the benefit for CoEs?

The money is to be used to support CoEs to become “centers of excellence” that deliver high-quality B.Ed. programme.

Specifically, it is to be used for the professional development and upgrading of staff, as each college feels is appropriate.

The fund has been designed primarily to enable teaching staff to participate in continuous professional development that will allow them to meet the now minimum criteria to teach in a CoE (to hold a research master’s degree).

However, funding can be used to support the professional development of non-teaching staff as well and the duration of courses staff undertake does not need to be completed by July 2020 when the funding mechanism ends.

CoEs are not expected to produce any reports and they will receive the funds directly. However, they will be expected to:

• Develop their own transparent and evidence-based process for deciding how the funds are used, including criteria regarding the provision of co-financing support from staff in recognition of the benefits to both individuals and institutions.

• Show how they will ensure effective financial management and how they will restrict the funds to staff upgrading only
• Plan how they intend to support staff to successfully complete their courses.

How will CoEs receive the funds?

Funds will be released directly to CoEs, based on evidence submitted during assessment visits and in line with agreed contracts signed between CoEs, NCTE, and T-TEL. The MoE and NCTE will have full visibility of the funds released.

CoEs will be expected to:

• Develop their own transparent and evidence-based process for deciding how the funds are used, including criteria regarding the provision of co-financing support from staff in recognition of the benefits to both individuals and institutions.
• Show how they will ensure effective financial management and how they will restrict the funds to staff upgrading only
• Plan how they intend to support staff to successfully complete their courses.