The General Secretary of the Principals of Colleges of Education (PRINCOF), Dr. Samuel Addae Boateng, has questioned the continued government sponsorship of teacher trainees in Ghana, suggesting that the allowance system may no longer be necessary given the current socio-economic landscape.
Dr. Boateng, who also serves as the Principal of Atabubu College of Education in the Ashanti Region, made these remarks during an interview on Oyerepa Breakfast Time with Kwesi Parker Wilson.
He expressed concern over what he described as a mismatch between the perceived financial needs of students and their lifestyle choices.
“Some of the phones students are using are so expensive that, as a principal, I cannot afford them,” Dr. Boateng stated. “If someone can afford an iPhone 16, I believe they can also afford to buy food.”
He argued that many students at the Colleges of Education do not appear financially constrained, and yet continue to receive government allowances. In contrast, students in other tertiary institutions rely on student loan schemes for financial support.
“The courses being studied in the Colleges of Education, such as the BSc in Education, are the same courses offered in universities,” he said. “University students are not given allowances, yet they manage. So what makes Colleges of Education so special that students there can’t attend school if they are given just one meal a day?”
Dr. Boateng suggested that it may be time to rethink the policy and align the support system for teacher trainees with that of other tertiary students. He proposed that teacher trainees be allowed access to the Students’ Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) rather than continuing with direct allowances from the government.
“From where I sit, I believe if we allow them to take care of themselves and access student loans, it will help everyone,” he added.
Source: Oyerepafmonline.com
