The Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) has rejected any move to replace their long-standing allowances with a student loan scheme, declaring that they will not “sacrifice” their stipends for loans.
National President of TTAG, Soale Razak, in an interview on ABC Prime with ABC News Gh, emphasized their unwavering position.
“We have long been calling for a review of the teacher training allowance,” Razak stated, highlighting that the current GH¢400 stipend has remained stagnant for years and urging an increment rather than a scraping it.
“We won’t sacrifice the allowances for the loan scheme,” he asserted, making it clear that any loan proposal would only be considered if it came as an additional financial aid rather than a replacement for existing benefits.
Education Ministry Dismisses Reports of Scrapping Allowances
The Ministry of Education has, however, denied claims that the government intends to abolish teacher trainee allowances. The controversy stems from a comment made by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu during a meeting with the Executives of the Principals of Colleges of Education (PRINCOF).
According to the Ministry, the Minister’s remarks were misinterpreted, stating that the government remains committed to supporting teacher trainees and only exploring ways to enhance financial assistance.
“The Ministry has taken note of a front-page publication in the Tuesday, 4th February 2025 edition of The Daily Graphic with the headline ‘Teacher Trainee Allowance to go.’ The headline is not only sensational but misleading,” the Ministry clarified in an official statement.
It further assured that “allowances will remain until all stakeholders reach a firm agreement after further deliberations.”
