Restoration of allowance: A promise kept, we are thrilled – Trainee teachers

The Trainee Teachers Association of Ghana(TTAG) says they are delighted to have their allowance scheme which was scrapped by the Mahama administration restored to them by the current government.

According to the trainee teachers, the government’s move has firmed up their believe that the Akufo-Addo-led administration is a “listening government.”

Speaking on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 FM, Osei Daniel Kofi, the National President of TTAG expressed his outfit’s appreciation to the President for restoring the teacher trainee allowance.

“We call on the President to make it sustainable, but it is a welcoming news for us and we’re happy about it no matter the amount it has decided to pay us this time.” he told host Fiifi Banson Wednesday. About 45,000 teacher trainees in 41 public colleges of education will, from next month, receive GH¢204 each as monthly allowance from the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF).

Although each student is entitled to GH¢400, part of that — GH¢196 — will go directly to the colleges to pay for trainees’ utilities and feeding.

The amount is, however, GH¢248 less than the GH¢452 the trainees were receiving after deductions before the allowance was scrapped in the 2013/2014 academic year by the previous government.

The student body were irked when President Mahama nullified the trainee teacher allowance under his regime, and vowed to campaign to ensure the exit of the former leader from the FlagStaff House during the 2016 elections.

They’d said the scrapping of the allowance by the government inflicted on them “unbearable hardships”, and made it impossible for the teacher trainees to meet their financial obligations.

On the part of the ruling NPP government, the removal of the allowance by the NDC government was indicative of the fact that the esrtwhile Mahama administration was insensitive to the plight of the teacher trainees and assured that the allowance will be restored, should the NPP be voted into power.