Teacher Trainees Threaten strike Over Allowances

The Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) has warned that it will resort to an appropriate language that would be understood by government if it does not reverse its decision to scrap teacher training allowances by September 23.

National Executive members of TTAG at a press conference in Accra described the decision by the government to abolish allowance scheme and replace it with loan scheme as uncalled for and a move to suffocate the country's education system.

The association noted that the move would not only affect teaching and learning in the country but would also constitute an obstacle to prevent individuals from enrolling into colleges of education.

Mohammed Amin Mansiru, National President indicated that colleges of education are not universities or polytechnics but rather a subset of tertiary education system that have different and equal mandate to support national development.

He noted that the country needs to drive it education national agenda at less costive manner to produce high quality human resource to push the country's goals.

The argument that colleges of education are now considered as tertiary institutions and therefore its student should be treated as such, must not be given the needed attention, since teachers play unique role in human resource development, "we believe our tertiary is unique type of tertiary because of the strict moral and social training component of the course"..

Mohammed Amin Mansiru argued that if the government finds it important to pay allowance to other colleges like police, fire service, nursing trainees etc, "then they must consider our plight". The abolishment of the allowance scheme which was announced by the deputy minister of Education for tertiary, Samuel Okrodzato Abrakwah about a month ago, "would be treated "red eye" if the government and National Council for Tertiary Educational (NCTE) doesn't restrain the decision" .

Even Though the government explained earlier that the elimination of the GH¢340.00 allowance was a measure to increase the intake of students into the training colleges, the association thinks it would rather prevent individuals from the teaching profession.

"We are aware of government's effort at increasing the admission quota of the colleges of education, especially, with the huge number of applicants this year. However, we strongly believe that the abolishment of the allowance scheme is not the best means of addressing the situation, as it will rather lead to a drastic decrease of enrollment of applicants into colleges of education," he noted.

The national president emphasized that the decision would also prevent most brilliant but needy student from attaining tertiary education.

Touching on the shift back of four to three years Senior High School (SHS), they urged the government to draw a clear cut national education policy which will be devoid of any group or persons to interfere with the education system