The Background of FES
FACULTY OF EDUCATIONAL STUDIES (FES), KNUST
BACKGROUND
The Council of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi established the Faculty of Educational Studies (FES) in 2018 because of the teacher education reforms initiated by the Government of Ghana supported by DfID, UK. The KNUST formed a team of experts who became part of a national team that developed the New 4-year Bachelor of Education programme, with three specialisms (Early grade, Primary and Junior High School Education), for the Colleges of Education and Teacher Education Universities in Ghana. The Ministry of Education/National Council of Tertiary Education facilitated the affiliation of the 46 Colleges of Education in Ghana to five universities in Ghana as part of implementing the reform. Based on the above, the following colleges were affiliated to KNUST: Wesley College of Education, Kumasi, Akrokerri College of Education, St. Joseph’s College of Education, Bechem, Tamale College of Education and E. P. College of Education, Bimbilla.
HISTORY OF TEACHER EDUCATION IN KNUST
The Kumasi College of Technology which was established by a Government Ordinance on 6th October, 1951 was officially opened on 22nd January, 1952 with 200 Teacher Training students transferred from Achimota, to form the nucleus of the new College. As the College expanded, it was converted into a purely science and technology institution. In pursuit of this policy, the Teacher Training section, with the exception of the Art School, was transferred in January 1958, to the Winneba Advanced Teacher Training College.
The Art School, which later became Department of General Art Studies, and later Department of Art Education is now Department of Educational Innovations in Science and Technology (EIST), the first department under the Faculty.
THE WAYFORWARD
The KNUST with more than half a century of experience in science and technology education at the tertiary level in Ghana, sees this reform and partnership with the Colleges of Education as an opportunity to influence science and technology education in Ghana by venturing into the training of teachers for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in the basic and secondary education sectors in Ghana. The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, through the Faculty of Educational Studies, is of the view that this is the only way to guarantee a steady flow of STEM graduates from the secondary to the tertiary level in Ghana. By this venture we seek to contribute significantly towards strengthening and up scaling STEM education from the basic level.
Ultimately, the vision of the Faculty of Educational Studies (FES) is to become a Centre of Excellence in STEM education in Africa. In achieving this the FES seeks to partner both local and international institutions, conduct cutting edge research that would result in the development of home-grown pedagogies and resources to enhance the teaching and learning of science, technology and mathematics across various levels of Ghana’s education system; and also train teachers who have the requisite competencies and are committed, inspirational and lifelong learners. Indeed, the FES sees this as a veritable and a great way to advance and disseminate knowledge in science and technology, leveraging on the capacity and reputation of the university.
The FES also serves as the fulcrum around which KNUST is building capacity of her faculty by organizing series of professional development workshops to equip them with more interactive and differentiated modes of facilitating learning and assessing students.
Currently, the Faculty of Educational Studies (FES), houses the Department of Educational Innovations in Science and Technology (DEIST), the Department of Teacher Education (DTE) and the Centre for Educational Research and Development. The DEIST has the following programmes running; Master of science and Master of Philosophy in Educational Innovation and Leadership Science; Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy in Art Education.
As part of the efforts to develop capacity of staff of affiliate Colleges of Education, the FES created the Department of Teacher Education to run the following MPhil/PhD/EdD programmes on regular and sandwich modes:
- Science Education
- Mathematics Education
- ICT Education
- Language and Literacy Education
- Educational Planning and Administration
- History Education
- Geography Education
- Religious Education
The Faculty admitted her first batch of students in September, 2019, to pursue the 4-year Bachelor of Education programme with a specialization in JHS Education majoring in mathematics, science and ICT Education, Agricultural Science, Geography, Social Studies and Visual Arts.
Recent innovations in science and technology have made the world more technology and innovation dependent thus requiring a skill set that would enable our younger generation function effectively. The KNUST has strategically positioned herself to partner both local and international organizations and institutions to deliver quality teacher education. Be assured that KNUST through the Faculty has the wherewithal to churn out teachers with 21st century skills who would function effectively in diverse teaching and learning contexts.
ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE
The KNUST has Prof. Akwasi Acheampong, as the Dean of the Faculty and Harley Anane as the Registrar.
PROFILE OF THE DEAN
Prof. Akwasi Acheampong is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry, and the Dean for the Faculty of Educational Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. He holds two PhD degrees from the University of Paris-Sud in France (now Paris-Saclay) and the Kwame Nkrumah university of Science and Technology in Ghana. He holds a Master of Science degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from KNUST. He has a Bachelor of Science (First class honours) degree in Chemistry from the University of Cape Coast. He had his A' level at Opoku Ware School and the O' level at Asanteman Senior High School.
He is a member of the Ghana Science Association (GSA), the Royal Society of Chemistry (U.K.), Ghana Chemical Society, and the Pan African Chemistry Network (PACN).
He has since his employment in June 2006 at KNUST, published over 50 refereed journal articles and has also attended many national and international conferences, where he made scientific presentations to the scientific community. He has supervised about 150 undergraduates and 30 postgraduate research and theses. He has graduated five PhD students and is currently supervising three PhD theses.
His research centers on Natural products, Lipids, pharmaceutical analysis and quality control, analysis of water, food, and food supplements, environmental pollution, Chemical Ecology and chemistry education. In the area of natural products, he investigates the phytoconstituents of various medicinal plants as well as fruits and seeds known to have high medical values. He investigates the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory antiplasmodial, anthelminthic, and antimicrobial activities of various plant extracts of medicinal plants as well as their isolates.
In lipid research, his focus has been on identifying various fatty acids and triacylglycerols (TAG) present in vegetable oils. The major interest has been the design of various HPLC-MS methodologies that permit the complete characterization and quantification of TAG. This aspect of the research seeks to find vegetable sources of essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6 oils found in fish.
In pharmaceutical analysis, he focuses on analyzing drug products in pharmacy shops in Ghana to see if they meet the quality parameters enshrined in the standard books, especially the British Pharmacopoeia. Again, this area of research seeks to develop various HPLC methods of analysis for various multi-component drugs being produced locally or imported into the country.
In water quality assurance and quality control analysis, he conducts research to assess the quality of underground water (boreholes and wells), water from some rivers, as well as bottle and sachet water from different manufacturers in Ghana.
In environmental pollution, he researches into heavy metals as well as radionuclide pollution of soils, river sediments, surface water of rivers, and fishes in rivers.
In analyzing food and food supplements for their safety, he has been assessing food and food supplements for their safety with respect to heavy metal and pesticides contamination.
In Chemical Ecology, Prof. Acheampong’s interest has been on the semio-chemicals released by plants in defence of herbivory feeding, their identification, characterization and quantitation that will lead to the synthesis of blends that can be used as biological pesticides.
In chemistry education, he is interested in investigating the causes of students difficulty in understanding various concepts in chemistry and providing possible ways by which the difficulties could be addressed. His research seeks to bring to the attention of policy makers the challenges in the country's education system and the need to effect policy changes to address them. He is involved in the training of teachers (JHS specialism) at KNUST, and was a part of the team that developed the curriculum for the B.Ed Chemistry education (SHS specialism) for KNUST.
Prof. Akwasi Acheampong is currently in charge of managing the Rothamsted Chemical Ecology project in the Chemistry Department. He is a Co-investigator to the late Dr. Samuel Osafo Acquaah on the Rothamsted Research project, and he is seeing to the completion of the project
PROFILE OF THE REGISTRAR
Harley Anane was the School Secretary for the School of Medicine and Dentistry, College of Health Science, KNUST. He entered the then University of Science and Technology, Kumasi from 1989 to 1992 where he obtained, Bachelor of Arts (Economics and Sociology) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi for a Master’s of Science Degree in Development Policy Planning from 1997 to 1999. He also holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Chartered Administration, Ghana and Postgraduate Diploma in Research Method for Social Sciences, UK. Harley started his career in 1994 as an Assistant Manager with the then Post and Telecommunication Corporation and rose through the ranks from Assistant Manager through to Deputy Manager and Manager until the year 2001 when he joined Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in 2nd April 2001 as an Assistant Registrar. Harley was firstly posted to the then Institute of Renewable Natural Resources now Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. He has worked with the Human Resources and the Faculty of Art of the College of Art and Built Environment respectively. Harley Anane has also served a number of Committees at the University wide level, College and School/Faculty as a Secretary, Member/Secretary and a Member. Harley is a team player who takes his responsibilities/tasks seriously. He is versatile administrator whose extensive experience, knowledge, skills and affable leadership style have facilitated in promoting and projecting the good image of the University to the general public. As School Secretary of the School of Medicine and Dentistry, and a Senior Assistant Registrar of the University, Harley has participated in many workshops/seminars and conferences in the University and outside the University as a way of building his capacity in the delivery of his work. Harley has written a number of memoranda and reports in the course of dispensing his work
COLLLEGES OF EDUCATION AFFILIATED TO KNUST
