Akufo-Addo’s government fails to pay teacher trainees allowances for a semester
H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
Information picked by Coverghana.com.gh indicates that, the New Patriotic Party government led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has failed to pay allowances to teacher trainees across the Forty-six (46) Accredited Public Colleges of Education for a whole semester (four months).
According to the vulnerable teacher trainees, they have not been paid allowances for the entire semester which began from January 2021 and ended in April 2021.
The students are worried for the inability of the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF), a state owned institution contracted by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s government in 2017 to disburse allowances to teacher trainees across the country.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang breaks silence on cancellation of teacher trainees allowances
The students also disclosed that, the last academic year, govermment paid them allowances for only three (3) months instead of the four (4) months (academic calendar months.)
“Govermment announced to the general public that, teacher trainees allowance has been restored. The truth is that, we don’t receive the amount they announced to the public. They pay us only GH¢204 instead of GH¢400 promised by the President. Even though half a loaf is better than none, we don’t receive the money on time. We have not been paid for the whole semester. This is very bad. This is not what President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo promised us” The teacher trainees told Coverghana.com.gh
Blame Education Minister for Pressure being mounted on the NPP Government – Former TTAG scribe
Expressing disappointment in President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s government for failing to pay the teacher trainees allowances, a former National Deputy General Secretary of the Teacher Trainees’ Association of Ghana (TTAG) Mr. Ekow Djan said he has become aware of government’s inability to pay allowances due trainee teachers for the first semester of the 2021 academic year. According to him, this is not only unacceptable but insensitive, cruel and a breach of social contract signed between President Akufo-Addo and trainee teachers.
TTAG calls on government to pay allowances including arrears to Teacher Trainees
“President Akufo-Addo made a solemn promise to Ghanaians and trainees to “restore” the payment of allowances when given the mandate to serve as President of Ghana. Upon assumption of office, the Ministry of Education instituted a Gh¢ 204 monthly allowance which would be paid for eight months in a year instead of the Gh¢ 490 which was paid throughout the twelve (12) months of the year. This was met with a fierce opposition from the then leadership of the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) which I happen to serve as a national executive. The consensus thereof was on the part of government to ensure a constant payment of Ghc204 monthly to each trainee. I therefore find it as a shock as government has not been to pay the much talked allowance to trainees for the past four (4) months.” He explained.
Requirements and particulars for NTC license Registration for GES Staff
He again said, “It is a disappointment to trainees. A disgrace to the President and the new Minister of Education. I call on the government to as a matter of urgency pay trainees’ the allowance due them with all other arrears.”
SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh
It was a bad decision making for the government to restore the teacher and nursing training allowances.
The government should channel these allowances to build more hostels and lecture theatres for these institutions.
Look at how government is struggling to pay these allowances while their counter parts in the universities are paying fees and not receiving any allowances.
They eventually find themselves in the same market with the same conditions of service.
This policy is discriminatory and does not create a flat playing field for these two sets of students.