VISUAL ARTS AND TECHNICAL UNITS AT CROSSROADS: THE WOES OF LOW STUDENT-TEACHER INTAKE IN BAGABAGA COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, TAMALE

Purpose of the Study: The study investigated the causes of low student teacher intake into the Visual Arts and Technical Units of the Vocational and Technical Department of Bagabaga College of Education in Tamale. Statement of the Problem: It is unfortunate that the intake of student teachers into the Visual and Technical Units has been appalling since 2018 when the degree program started. The number of intakes keeps on decreasing in these two units year by year and it was therefore necessary to dig into the root cause of the low intake of student teachers into the units. Research Methodology:  A sample of 200 students and 20 teachers were taken for the study from three Senior High Schools as well as one Technical Institute and one Technical College of Education. The study adopted mixed method approach and made use of survey questionnaires and oral interviews in soliciting the views of students, student teachers, teachers and tutors on issues about Vocational and Technical Education and Training. The qualitative data gathered were assembled and analyzed using statistics, diagrams and scales while the qualitative data gathered were thematically and content analyzed. Research Findings: The findings pertaining to the causes of low Visual and Technical students’ intake into Bagabaga College of Education showed that most students did not obtain credits or better in the core subjects but had excellent and credit grades in the elective subjects. This proved that Vocational and Technical students from the second circle institutions do well in their electives than the core subjects. Another cause emerged from the fact that BECE candidates who obtained good grades do not choose Visual Arts or Technical to study in the Senior High Schools. This was noted to be as a result of some negative perceptions attached to Vocational and Technical Education and Training in Ghana. Keywords: Student-teachers, Visual Arts, Technical, Virtual, Online, Practicals