Trainee allowances have been invested in ‘massive infrastructure expansion’ – Dep. Minister

• Posted on May 30, 2016
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

A Deputy Minister for Education, says the money that would have spent on paying teacher trainee allowances has been invested in infrastructures in the  colleges of education across the country.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the infrastructure expansion has increased enrolment in training colleges by 63.8 percent.

The government announced it is replacing the teachers’ allowances with student loans. The Ministry of Education has maintained the move would help the government save up to 12 million cedis monthly to improve educational infrastructure across the country.

Trainees vehemently resisted the policy but government insisted that making student loans available to teacher trainees was fair and equitable.

VIAM Africa centre for Education and Social policy was one of the few stakeholders who backed the government policy. The organisation urged government to invest the savings made from the allowance in infrastructural development in the colleges.

VIAM Africa recently called on government to disclose how it invested the monies accrued from the scrapping of the allowances.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of students of the Agogo Presbyterian Girls College of Education on Saturday, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa indicated that the savings have been used to build laboratories, lecture theatres, auditoriums and libraries in the colleges.

He added that enrolment in colleges which was 9,000 before government introduced the policy has now increased to over 15,000 in one academic year.

Mr Ablakwa refuted rumours that the Ministry has approved a licensing regime for teachers. He stated that the ministry is awaiting the consolidated Education Service Act to be passed before the regime will be approved.

“And I also want to respond to some rumours making rounds that because you have become a tertiary institution we are about to cancel also the automatic absorption of all graduates from the Colleges of Education, please be kindly informed that those rumours are unfounded,” he asserted.

– myjoyonline