History
Basic Education is universally accepted as the foundation to achieve broad-based development of children to contribute meaningfully to nation building. This means ensuring that all pupils are able to develop their cognitive, social, emotional, cultural and physical skills to the best of their abilities and preparing them to identify and pursue their preferred career.
It is in this light that the Department of Basic Education is providing quality training to teachers to unearth the potentials and talents of children in order to achieve the Sustainable Goal 4 which aims at ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Background
In 1992, the Department of Primary Education (DPE) now known as Department of Basic Education (DBE) was initiated by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Accra with the Vice Chancellor, Dean, and the senior members of Faculty of Education. The Department was officially established on October 12, 1993 under the Primary Education Programme (PREP) with the collaboration of USAID as one of the ways to ensure quality Primary Education in Ghana.
DPE was established as a unique department, to fulfill the long-standing function of the University to train teachers in Training College acquire skills in all aspects of Primary Education. The programmes of the DPE are planned such that the energetic and high calibre professionals produced will serve as teachers, administrators, supervisors, and circuit officers in the decentralised Education Offices that have been created as part of the policies in the improvement of the Primary Education in Ghana. The Department also prepares graduate professional educators with special competencies in Primary School pedagogy, different content areas, administration, management and supervision. USAID supported the new-born Department by supporting staff development and providing material resources. Currently, this support had been withdrawn and the Department is virtually weaned from any kind of support and provision from USAID.
In 2007, the name was changed to reflect the new concept of Basic Education in Ghana. The M.Phil. in Basic Education was introduced to train competent personnel for the basic schools and Colleges of Education so as to enhance the quality of education in Ghana.
In addition to this, the introduction of Kindergarten (KG) in the primary school system necessitated the training of teachers and attendants to fill vacancies in the schools nationwide. The Department of Basic Education took up the challenge by introducing Bachelor’s degree and Certificate programmes in Early Childhood Education. Again, in response to the over whelming demand for higher and further training in Early Childhood Education, the Department introduced Diploma in Early Childhood Education in the year 2011 on sandwich basis.