St. Vincent College of Education Sacks Over 70 Students with Poor Grades

Citifmonline.com understands that over 70 students of the St Vincent College of Education at Yendi in the Northern Region have been asked to go home for using grade D7 in English, Mathematics and Science to gain admission into the college.

According to the school, the decision was taken following a directive from the Executive Secretary for the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE). This was the explanation cited in a letter given to one of the affected students.

The letter signed by the Principal of the College, Erasmus Nario Multi, said the decision was taken during a meeting with principals of public colleges of education, “called at the instance of the Minister for Education [Matthew Opoku Prempeh].”

The letter said “it was resolved that all unqualified students must be withdrawn from the colleges forthwith.”

“…We have been formally instructed to withdraw all unqualified students who do not meet the current minimum entry requirements into public colleges of education. It is in line with this directive that we the management of St Vincent College of Education, Yendi, are writing to formally inform you that your ward/student….whose submitted grades do not meet the current criterion of entry into a public college of education is withdrawn from the college forthwith,” the letter addressed to one of the affected students stated.

Per entry requirements of tertiary institutions in Ghana, applicants with West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results are supposed to among other things have good grades ranging from A1 to C6 in core (English, Mathematics and Science) and elective subjects.

According St Vincent College of Education, although they admitted students who had D7, the students were informed of the consequences they could face if they do not better their grades.

“It should be noted that on admission, your ward was formally informed by the Assistant college secretary Mr. Solomon Zakaria through direct telephone calls and orally upon arrival on campus, that if they are unable to redeem the unqualified grades on time (prior to the formal verification of admitted students), they will be withdrawn from the college,” the letter added.

The school further assured the affected students that “all items or services for which your ward might have paid, and yet have not been provided or supplied, would be refunded once the College reopens for the 2nd semester of the 2017-2018 academic year.”