The Vocational Skills Department in St. Teresa’s College of Education, Hohoe has organized a one-day fashion show for the final year students of the Department. These students happened to be to be first batch of students pursing the 4-Year Bachelor of Education, Junior High School (Home Economics) Programme.
Briefing the gathering on the purpose of the fashion show in the College, Ms. Stella Emefa Komasi, the Sewing Tutor of the Vocational Skills Department said that “Introduction to Freehand Cutting” is a course in Sewing which was designed for the level 400 students pursuing the 4-Year B.Ed in Junior High School (Home Economics) programme. The purpose of the course, she said, is to assist students understand the basic concepts in garment construction. She noted that the fashion show was organized to display the skills the students have acquired throughout the 4-year period, appreciate the students for their hard work and also tell others about some benefits they stand to gain when they study Home Economics. She debunked the notion that Home Economics was a course meant for the academically weak students.
According to her, the students, having gone through the course, would be able to select fabrics based on different conditions to suit their designs, master the skills and techniques in freehand cutting and apply this knowledge in constructing and sewing different garments.
Ms. Stella Emefa Komasi said that the show was an opportunity for the students to showcase to the public that products from the Department have gained both practical and theoretical knowledge needed by the students teachers. She observed that when the students go out to the field, they would make use of the skills they have gained to benefit themselves, the students they would be teaching in future as well as the communities in which they would be teaching. The show, she added, was a way of making St. Teresa’s College the 1st choice when it comes to JHS, Home Economics Education.
On the issue of future plans for the Department, Ms. Stella Emefa Komasi said that the Department had plans of making the fashion show an annual event. According to her, the Department would prepare early enough, seek sponsorship from stakeholders like GTP, Printex and others so as to make subsequent editions of the show more attractive. The Department, she added, would invite dignitaries outside the College and attract the Media both in and outside the town and to future events. “In short, we want to make subsequent TERESCO fashion show bigger and better,” she concluded.
The students used the occasion to displayed the three types of dresses (sleet & kaba, skirt and males’ shirts) they had sewn. They modeled with these dresses and received cheers from their colleague students offering B.Ed Primary Education and B.Ed Early Childhood Education and other observers present.
Sharing their experiences on the fashion show, the students said that the Course had equipped and given them the knowledge and skills that will make them competent Home Economics (Sewing) Teachers. They pledged to make use of the knowledge they have acquired and update their skills all the time.
One of the students remarked: “It was fun and I feel so good to be able to sew and wear my own garments. Even though, it was not easy initially for me because I had no basic knowledge in sewing. In fact, I had never handled sewing machine in my life and so “Sewing” was a big challenge for me. I had to do extra work to meet the demands of the course: “Introduction to Freehand Cutting.” Thanks to God and through the efforts of our course Tutor: Ms. Stella Emefa Komasi, here I am today, wearing my own dress. I am extremely happy and I pray for God’s blessing for my course Tutor.”
Another student observed: “We were brainwashed in our early grade to believe that Home Economics (Clothing and Textile, to be precise) was for the academically poor students. If I had not come to St. Teresa’s College of Education, I would have remained in my shells. The course has made me love TVET. All thanks to my able and hardworking Home Economics Tutors. This fashion Show was a blast. Having our colleagues and the whole College cheer us up while we were on the stage displaying our Sleet & Kaba, Skirt and shirt for males was very interesting. Congratulations to the Pioneers of the 4-Year B. Ed Junior High School_Home Economics Students. An Ewe adage says: ‘Amesi nyo ame le alɔfe fe mɔ wokpɔ na.’ TERESCO will forever be remembered.”
The Principal of St. Teresa’s College of Education, Ms. Sophia Adjoa Micah, commended the Department for the organizing the show amidst the numerous challenges. She also congratulated the students for taking active part in both theoretical and practical aspects of their course that culminated in the first ever Fashion Show. She called on the continuing students to emulate the example of the first batch of the 4-Year B. Ed programme and make future shows more attractive. She mentioned the lack of equipment and space to teach both theoretical and practical aspects of the course as some of the challenges facing the Vocational Skills Department. She therefore used to opportunity to appeal to all stakeholders, benevolent organizations and individuals to assist the College to acquire equipment and also put up a structure for the Department. She noted that the provision of the of equipment and structure for the Department will not only improve quality teaching, but also increase the intake of students in the Department and the College in general.
Present at the events were both Academic and Non-Academic Staff of the College as well as some relatives of the students.
Compiled by
Thaddeus Danquah Kokobina
Snr. Tutor & Public Relations Officer
St. Teresa’s College of Education, Hohoe
