Teachers on war path

Information gathered by DAILY GUIDE indicates that there is an uneasy calm at Enchi Training College (ENCHICO), a teacher training college in the Western Region.

This is as a result of the fact that some teachers of the institution are up in arms against the authorities of the school for allegedly presiding over some illegalities at the college.

They alleged that some of their colleague teachers at the teacher training college, even though are no more teaching at the college, were still receiving salaries in the name of the college.

The angry teachers alleged that the authorities of the college are aware of the alleged illegalities, but they seemed to be doing nothing about it.

The worried teachers alleged that two of their colleagues (names withheld) who left the college since October this year and were studying at the University of Cape Coast were being paid their salaries even though they did not apply for study leave with pay.

“Why should some teachers of the college who are currently furthering their education at the UCC should still receive salaries from the college even though they have left the college and did not apply for study leave.

“We know that the law stipulates that a teacher wishing to further his or her education should apply for study leave with pay.

But we are aware that the two teachers of the college, who are currently studying Basic Education at UCC since October this year, did not apply for study leave but are being paid their respective monthly salaries.”

The angry teachers of the college, who spoke to DAILY GUIDE in separate interviews, indicated that they suspect a fishy deal between the college authorities and the teachers who had left but continue to receive salaries from the college.

The informants then appealed to the Ghana Education Service and all those concerned to visit the college to investigate the matter since the alleged deal was aimed at syphoning state funds.

When DAILY GUIDE contacted the Principal of Enchi Training College, Madam Victoria Aidoo, she declined to comment on the issue.

She rather insisted that she would only comment if DAILY GUIDE told her the names of the informants so that she could confront them.

Since the late 1960s, the government of Ghana has been assisting trainee teachers financially through the teacher trainee allowances and study leave with pay for teachers.

The purpose of this educational package is not only to attract quality personnel into the teaching service, but also to improve the teachers’ professional competence.

Unfortunately, in 2013 under Mahama-led NDC government, the teacher trainee allowance in the colleges of education has been scrapped.

This ‘killer’ policy has put so much financial strain on teacher trainees, especially students from the rural areas.