Status Change Process in Tutor Professionalism in Selected Colleges of Education in the Volta Region, Ghana

Abstract

This study conducted in 2018 had the purpose to explore College of Education tutors’ experience of status change in tutor professionalism in two selected Colleges of Education in the then Volta Region following the upgrading of the colleges into tertiary institutions. The study adopted qualitative design and purposively sampled a total of 24 tutors comprising 17 who had mismatch of bachelor’s and master’s degrees and 7 who had only bachelor’s degrees. Data transcription, manual coding and interpretation were carried out under thematic analysis. The study revealed that a good number of the affected tutors readily responded to the call for further studies, others did hesitantly whilst others did not because they were soon going on compulsory retirement. Out of the enrolled, majority completed and changed their status whilst others were still pursuing their programmes. The impromptu ultimatum given to the affected tutors with no study leave was a great challenge to some of them and with no continuous professional development policy to cushion them. The study concluded that though NCTE’s call for postgraduate degree upgrading was impromptu, it helped many tutors to enroll on further studies, graduated and changed their status including the fact that such tutors work output at college and on their studies were affected negatively due to combination of the two roles. Recommendation include Governing Councils of all colleges instituting continuous professional development policy; affected tutors to be given extra grace period to upgrade among others.

Key words: Status Change, Continuous Professional Development, Mismatch Qualifications, Tutor, Colleges of Education, Research Masters

DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/15-3-06

Publication date: October 30^th 2025