Teachers We Need for the Education We Want: Agenda for Setting Up Universities in Ghana

The foundation of any nation lies in the robust characteristics of its educational system. This paper aimed to assess whether student-teachers possess the essential skills needed to deliver the type of education desired by Ghanaians. A cross-sectional survey employing a quantitative research design was utilized. A sample of 385 from a total of 736 student-teachers was selected from the Departments of Arts Education, Business and Social Sciences Education, and Home Economics at the University of Cape Coast using a proportionate simple random sampling method. Data collection involved structured questionnaires that were analysed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) version 27 with descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, frequency and percentage. The results indicated that student-teachers demonstrated a strong grasp of content knowledge, and they were well-prepared to implement creative teaching methods. Moreover, the study found significant differences in the content knowledge of student-teachers based on factors such as sex, age, and field of study F (18, 3) = 2.062, p = .008, and partial ƞ² = .122. Additionally, there were notable differences in the preparedness of student-teachers to utilise creative pedagogies, influenced by their gender, age, and program of study, indicated by F (18, 3) = 1.922, p = .015, and partial ƞ² = .115. The study recommended that educational stakeholders in the Universities should encourage student-teachers to engage in workshops, seminars, and professional development opportunities to remain updated with the latest advancements in their field of work. It also suggested that student-teachers be motivated to explore innovative pedagogical approaches within their specializations. Furthermore, the research proposed that universities responsible for teacher training tailor their support systems for student-teachers, taking into account demographic variations in their preparedness to adopt creative teaching methods.