Reforming teacher education in Ghana - Evaluating the impact of T-TEL on professional competence

Q: What is the main objective of the study?

To evaluate how the T-TEL programme affects the professional competence of student teachers in Ghana, with reference to Akatsi College of Education.

Q: How did the study measure professional competence?

A cross-sectional survey used a structured questionnaire for 450 participants, followed by descriptive statistics and independent-samples t-tests to compare cohorts.

Q: What were the key findings about T-TEL’s effectiveness?

Student teachers trained under T-TEL significantly outperformed those from the previous system, and mentors strongly endorsed the relevance of the reforms.

Q: What recommendations were made to sustain the reform gains?

Institutionalise the twelve-week plan, formally recognise mentors in assessment frameworks, and provide psychosocial and workload support for trainees and mentors.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by eBook King

This study examines the impact of the Transforming Teacher Education and Learning (T-TEL) programme on the professional competence of student teachers in Ghana, focusing on Akatsi College of Education. Despite reforms in teacher education, evidence about trainees’ professional competence remains limited. Guided by Systems Theory, the study compares trainees’ performance before and after T-TEL through a cross-sectional survey of 450 participants across pre- and post- cohorts and mentors, using a structured questionnaire, Cronbach’s alpha (0.78–0.89), descriptive statistics, and independent-samples t-tests.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Background to the study

Statement of the problem

African Educational Research Journal Vol. 13(3), pp. 386-394, September 2025 ISSN: 2354-2160 Full Length Research Paper Reforming teacher education in Ghana: Evaluating the impact of T-TEL on professional competence Alfred Dorgbetor1* and Gifty Nordzi2 1Akatsi College of Education, Ghana. 2St. Francis College of Education, Hohoe, Ghana. Accepted 16 September, 2025 | ABSTRACT
This study examined the impact of the Transforming Teacher Education and Learning (T-TEL) programme on the professional competence of student teachers in Ghana, with specific reference to Akatsi College of Education. Despite several reforms in Ghana’s teacher education sector, concerns remain regarding the preparedness of newly trained teachers for classroom practice. Existing evaluations of T-TEL have primarily focused on tutors and curriculum alignment, leaving limited evidence on the professional competence of student teachers. Guided by Systems Theory, this study addressed that gap by comparing the professional performance of trainees before and after the introduction of T-TEL reforms. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 450 participants comprising 150 student teachers from the 2014 cohort (pre-T-TEL), 150 student teachers from the 2018 cohort (post-T-TEL), and 150 mentors. A structured questionnaire was used, and reliability was established through Cronbach’s alpha values ranging from .78 to .89. Descriptive statistics summarized participants’ views, while an independent samples t-test compared cohort performance. Findings revealed that student teachers trained under T-TEL significantly outperformed their counterparts from the previous system, t (298) = -12.56, p < .001, Cohen’s d = 1.47. Mentors overwhelmingly endorsed the relevance of the reforms, while mentees valued the twelve-week professional competency plan and the active involvement of mentors in assessment. The results suggest that T-TEL has contributed meaningfully to strengthening trainee competence and enhancing collaboration between stakeholders. The study recommends institutionalising the twelve-week plan, formally recognising mentorsin assessment frameworks, and providing psychosocial and workload support to sustain the gains of reform .
Keywords: T-TEL, professional competence, teacher education reforms, systems theory, mentor involvement. | | --- | | *Corresponding author. Email: [adorgbetor@akatsico.edu.gh](adorgbetor@akatsico.edu.gh). | INTRODUCTION Background to the study Teaching is a versatile profession that must constantly respond to changing social, cultural, and economic demands. The quality of a nation’s teachers determines the quality of its labour force and, by extension, the quality of its education system . A knowledgeable and productive society depends on the presence of well-prepared teachers, which explains why teacher education reform has become a global priority. Effective teachers must possess strong subject knowledge, pedagogical skills, and the flexibility to adapt to rapid change to meet the diverse needs of learners (Singh and Kumar, 2016) . One of the significant aims of teacher education reform is therefore to improve student learning outcomes, and this is often pursued through strengthening teacher preparation at colleges of education. Teachers are frontline gatekeepers of educational reform. Regardless of how well-funded or popular a reform initiative may be, its ultimate success depends on teachers Dorgbetor and Nordzi 387 who must implement new approaches in their classrooms. However, teachers’ voices are often neglected in reform design (Education Week Research Centre, 2017) . Understanding how teacher trainees and mentors experience reforms is thus crucial for judging their value and sustainability. In Ghana, teacher education has undergone multiple waves of reform over the past two decades. The Education Act of 2008 (Act 778) created the National Teaching Council to professionalise teachin

FAQs

What is the main objective of the study?

To evaluate how the T-TEL programme affects the professional competence of student teachers in Ghana, with reference to Akatsi College of Education.

How did the study measure professional competence?

A cross-sectional survey used a structured questionnaire for 450 participants, followed by descriptive statistics and independent-samples t-tests to compare cohorts.

What were the key findings about T-TEL’s effectiveness?

Student teachers trained under T-TEL significantly outperformed those from the previous system, and mentors strongly endorsed the relevance of the reforms.

What recommendations were made to sustain the reform gains?

Institutionalise the twelve-week plan, formally recognise mentors in assessment frameworks, and provide psychosocial and workload support for trainees and mentors.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by eBook King