Dr. Adwoa Kwegyiriba, a professional teacher, has been inducted into office as the first female Principal of the St Francis College of Education (FRANCO) in Hohoe.
She becomes the first female and the 9th Principal in the 114 years history of the College.
Dr. Kwegyiriba holds Teacher’s Certificate “A” from the Komenda College of Education in 1996, a Bachelor of Education in Primary Education and a Master of Arts Degree in Development Studies, both from the University of Cape Coast.
Dr. Kwegyiriba’s passion for knowledge and interest in academia led her to pursue further studies abroad where she obtained her PhD in Economics and Management of Education at Huazhong University of Science & Technology (HUST) Graduate School of Education, Wuhan, China.
She is an astute researcher and has authored 46 publications in peer reviewed journals and in the area of a logistics and transport, and higher education management, quality, access, and financing.
Dr. Kwegyiriba is the National Director of Research for Women in Technical Education, a member of the Chartered Professional Administrators (ChPA) and a professional fellow of the Chartered Institute of Administrators and Management Consultants (CIAMC)-Ghana.
In her inaugural address, Dr. Kwegyiriba pledged her allegiance to lead the Institution with dignity, resilience and perseverance.
Dr. Kwegyiriba noted that the College had been consistent in its academic excellence, adding that the Institution had in the period of existence, trained many teachers of repute with impeccable professional credentials.
“I, Dr. Adwoa Kwegyiriba, will ensure that we retain and improve our focus on inculcating in students the requisite academic abilities, professional competence and moral values for teaching.”
She said the world had unexpected challenges that had fundamentally transformed all institutional foundations and the College was not excluded and hence the need for reforms to survive.
Dr. Kwegyiriba is a fearless woman and a strong Christian from the Catholic faith.
She is married to Dr Jojo Okyere with children.
Dr. Ahmed Jinapor Abdullai, Deputy Director General, Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), said the Commission was not oblivious of the state of condition of service of staff and faculty of Colleges of Education in the country.
He noted that it was saddening when Colleges used their scarce resources to pay for expensive tuition fees of Faculties mostly outside the country and only for them to be poached by traditional Universities.
Dr. Abdullai said although the Commission was not against the free movement of faculty across institutions, the ones sponsored by Colleges of Education must satisfy all contractual agreements for such sponsorship before disengagement.
He noted that government had faculty, staff and personnel of Colleges of Education have had their salaries and allowances covered.
Dr. Abdullai said government was in the process of acquiring “4×4 Cross Country” vehicles for Principals of Colleges of Education with 23 to be acquired this year and the remaining next year.
He said FRANCO was a beneficiary of government’s 45 three-storey students hostels to be constructed nationwide this year.
Dr. Abdullai said the Commission was committed to supporting the government to ensure Colleges delivered their mandates effectively and efficiently.
He said accreditation of educational institutions to admit more students and introduce new programmes would be linked to the employability of students.
Dr. Abdullai urged the graduating students to be committed to all they do and project a good image of their alma mater.
