ITECPD-UEW Strengthens Student Internship Supervision Through Nationwide Mentor Training Workshop
The Institute for Teacher Education and Continuing Professional Development (ITECPD) at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) has commenced a nationwide Mentors’ Training Workshop for heads of partner schools. The workshop aims to enhance mentorship, supervision and assessment of student interns throughout Ghana.
The Southern Zone session of the three-tier workshop officially opened on Monday, 9th February, 2026, at the Jophus Anamuah-Mensah Conference Centre, North Campus, Winneba. The three-week training for the Southern Zone will run until Friday, 27th February, 2026. The Middle Zone session is scheduled for Kumasi from 3rd to 15th May, 2026 while the Northern Zone workshop will take place from Sunday, 17th to Friday, 22nd May, 2026.
The workshop forms part of UEW’s strategic efforts to enhance mentoring practices under the Student Internship Programme (SIP), formerly known as teaching practice and to promote the effective use of the internship management software for improved monitoring, documentation and communication throughout the internship process.
Prof. Esther Yeboah Danso-Wiredu, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, underscored the centrality of mentorship to quality teacher education at the opening. She commended the Director and staff of ITECPD for their foresight in organising what she described as a “timely and strategic” capacity-building initiative.
Prof. Esther Danso-Wiredu noted that teacher education does not end in lecture halls but comes alive in real classrooms, where theory meets practice and student teachers are shaped into professionals. She emphasised that the Student Internship Programme is not an optional add-on but “the heartbeat of quality teacher preparation,” adding that strong mentorship transforms an internship from routine observation into meaningful professional formation.
She further highlighted that the workshop aligns with the National Teaching Standards, the Teacher Education Reform Programme and the broader goals of the Ministry of Education and the National Teaching Council. She encouraged participants—heads of schools, mentors, supervisors and administrators—to engage actively, share experiences and strengthen collaboration between UEW and partner schools.
Prof. Michael Subbey, the Director of ITECPD, pointed out that the introduction of the Bachelor of Education curriculum in 2019 has transformed the internship component into a more comprehensive Supported Teaching in School (STS) model which spans the entire four-year duration of pre-service training.
He emphasised that the practical components now run concurrently with theory-based courses, making mentorship even more critical to student success. The Director disclosed plans to introduce a point-based incentive system to support mentors’ professional advancement with proposals already submitted to UEW Management and discussions underway with the National Teaching Council and other stakeholders.
The training also provides a platform for participants to review past experiences, share best practices and develop strategies to enhance the quality and consistency of internship supervision nationwide.
As UEW continues to consolidate its position as Ghana’s premier teacher education university, the Mentors’ Training Workshop reaffirms the institution’s unwavering commitment to producing competent, reflective, ethical and classroom-ready teachers to meet the needs of the nation’s educational system.
