Teacher trainees lament over exorbitant academic fees

Teachers Trainees across the country are lamenting what they say is the high cost of bills laden them by their respective training colleges for the 2018/19 academic calendar.

According to the trainees, the exorbitant fees shockingly does not include their feeding fees which will be taken from their allowances.

In a statement, the leadership of the trainees called on their members not pay the fees since the education minister has confirmed to them that the bill has not been approved by Parliament.

“The Conference of Principals of the Colleges of Education (PRINCOF) released the bills for the first semester of the 2018/2019 academic year in early September 2018. The leadership of the Teacher Trainees’ Association of Ghana (TTAG) upon critical analysis, consultations and concerns received from teacher trainees realized the exorbitance of the bills. Surprisingly, in the absence of feeding fee on the bills which will be taken from each teacher trainee’s allowance, the bills are even higher as compared to previous bills which included the feeding fee. All attempts to reach PRINCOF to discuss the exorbitant fees charged have proven futile.

“The executives of the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) in an opportunistic meeting with the Minister of Education on Monday 1st October 2018 discussed the exorbitant fees and it is worthy to note that, the Minister of Education stated emphatically that Parliament has not approved any bill for Colleges of Education for the coming academic year.

On this note, we the undersigned are asking all teacher trainees to halt the payment of the fees until parliament scrutinizes and approves the bill for 2018/2019 academic year. We will also entreat that all trainees remain calm and resolute as we continue to thoroughly discuss matters with the appropriate quarters,” the statement said.

The trainees also urged the Ghana Education Service to release the results of the licensure exams on October 15 as promised since their members are growing anxious over their fate.

EXORBITANT BILLS

The Conference of Principals of the Colleges of Education (PRINCOF) released the bills for the first semester of the 2018/2019 academic year in early September, 2018. The leadership of the Teacher Trainees’ Association of Ghana (TTAG) upon critical analysis, consultations and concerns received from teacher trainees realized the exorbitance of the bills. Surprisingly, in the absence of feeding fee on the bills which will be taken from each teacher trainee’s allowance, the bills are even higher as compared to previous bills which included the feeding fee. All attempts to reach PRINCOF to discuss the exorbitant fees charged have proven futile.

The executives of the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) in an opportunistic meeting with the Minister of Education on Monday 1st October 2018 discussed the exorbitant fees and it is worthy to note that, the Minister of Education stated emphatically that Parliament has not approved any bill for Colleges of Education for the coming academic year.

On this note, we the undersigned are asking all teacher trainees to halt the payment of the fees until parliament scrutinizes and approves the bill for 2018/2019 academic year. We will also entreat that all trainees remain calm and resolute as we continue to thoroughly discuss matters with the appropriate quarters.

POSTINGS OF NEWLY TRAINED TEACHERS.

The maiden Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination conducted by the National Teaching Council (NTC) across the country has faced and is still facing numerous challenges. This has instilled fear and panic in newly trained teachers who have successfully completed their respective Colleges of Education. Our cherished members are stranded on issues regarding their job security.

A letter dated 18th September, 2018 from the Ministry of Education signed by the Head of Public Relations Unit, Mr. Vincent Ekow Assafuah, stated clearly that the results for the licensure examination will be released by 15th October, 2018. By virtue of this, we humbly call on the National Teaching Council (NTC) to release the licensure examination results by the said date. We also beseech the Ghana Education Service (GES) to as a matter of urgency release postings for newly trained teachers before the end of October, 2018.

We hereby appeal that no newly trained teacher should be denied posting as a result of the licensure examination. The examination should be used as a formality to license all individuals who sat for the examination due to numerous challenges which coupled with the implementation of the policy before, during and after the examination.

TEACHER TRAINEES’ ALLOWANCES

We commend the Government’s assurance to continue the payment of the teacher trainees’ allowances. That notwithstanding, we humbly call on the Government through the Ministry of Education to put measures in place to effectively disburse allowances for the 2018/2019 academic year to teacher trainees starting with October, 2018. We count on you all for better conditions for teacher trainees.