Teacher educators fidelity with the philosophical principles of teacher education: evidence from colleges of education in Ghana

Despite substantial reforms in teacher education in Ghana, concerns persist regarding the extent to which training programmes faithfully enact core philosophical principles, including learner-centred pedagogy, equity, inclusivity, reflective practice, and social justice. Although these principles are prominently articulated in policy and curriculum documents, evidence suggests uneven implementation across institutions. Guided by Transformative Learning Theory, this study examined teacher trainees' perceptions of the extent to which these philosophical principles are reflected in teacher trainers' instructional practices and how such perceptions relate to trainees’ preparedness for professional practice. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional survey design and collected questionnaire data from teacher trainees in eight Colleges of Education. Data were analysed using descriptive statistical techniques. The findings indicate that while equity, inclusivity, and social justice are perceived to be reflected in instructional practices to a moderate extent, the modelling of learner-centred pedagogy is comparatively weak. Moreover, trainees reported a generally low level of preparedness for professional practice associated with the implementation of these philosophical principles, suggesting a limited translation of espoused ideals into practical teaching competence. The study underscores the need for stronger alignment between teacher education philosophy and classroom practice and recommends the integration of transformative, reflective pedagogies into teacher education standards and quality assurance mechanisms.