Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, the minister of education, announced plans to convert teacher trainee allowances into an improved student loan program so that students can pay for their own meals and personal expenses.
The minister stressed that although allowances would be kept in place for the time being, the government intends to phase out the allowance system gradually.
“There is no way you should be feeding a student at the tertiary level. We can narrow feeding to basic and free senior high schools, but at the tertiary level, students should be able to take care of themselves,” he stated
These remarks were made by the minister last Thursday in Accra during a meeting with the Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education, Ghana (PRINCOF) leadership.
PRINCOF President Professor Samuel Awinkene Atintono served as the team’s leader. The meeting provided a platform for the principals to voice their challenges and explore strategies to improve learning outcomes, education quality, and overall welfare.
Hon. Iddrisu confirmed that the new student loan scheme would run parallel with the allowances initially, offering students a choice before the full transition.
“The loan scheme will run parallel with the allowances initially, but we will eventually adopt the standard practice in all tertiary institutions, where students rely on loans instead of direct allowances,” he explained
Infrastructure and Logistical Challenges
The minister also acknowledged the significant infrastructural and logistical challenges faced by colleges of education. He noted that while there are budgetary constraints, the government remains committed to improving conditions. “We have to share resources across all levels of education, from preschool to tertiary. But we recognise that colleges of education are still in their nascent stages and require more support,” Iddrisu stated.
Furthermore, Hon. Iddrisu thanked the principals for preserving industrial harmony, especially in light of the teaching staff migration and salary parity at comparable levels. He assured the principals that the ministry is dedicated to resolving the unresolved issues and acknowledged shortcomings in the continuing migration process for teaching staff.
Concerns About Stalled Projects
Citing multiple Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) projects that have been unfinished for more than ten years, Professor Atintono expressed worries about the stalled infrastructure projects at the education colleges.
In order to accommodate the expanding student body, he emphasized the urgent need for more dormitory facilities, science and ICT labs, and classroom upgrades. Atintono also called on the government to prioritize finishing up unfinished projects before starting new ones and to carry out an infrastructure audit.
Source: Adomonline.com