Teacher trainees alarmed over potential food shortage in colleges
Trainee teachers around the country may have to find alternate means of feeding themselves in the coming days, since the government has neglected to pay their meal handouts and allowance for the previous seven months.
According to the teacher trainees, the government has not paid their allowances for the academic years 2021/2022, leaving their principals unable to work.
Principals of colleges of education highlighted similar concerns in May 2022, following the government’s refusal to pay for the previous academic year.
Jonathan Dzunu, National President of the Teacher Trainees Association, told Citi News that the government’s failure to pay their allowances is hampering their academic performance.
“Some of the allowances are for the academic year 2021/2022. We protested, and they informed us that some funds had been released, but the funds had yet to be issued, so we are hopeful that the cash will be released soon. If precautions are not made, food shortages may soon strike institutions of education since principals are reporting that vendors are not supplying them. Students are also dissatisfied with the quantity and quality of meals. So, if things aren’t done soon, there will be a food scarcity, which will be bad for us,” he explained.
The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana has voiced concern over the amount utilized to feed students at Colleges of Education around the country.
This comes after principals of colleges of education stated that the daily cost of feeding trainee instructors is GH6.5 per head.
This, they claim, has been the case for more than five years, notwithstanding the recent spike in food commodity prices in the nation.
The Ghana Colleges of Education Teachers Association condemned the situation as sad and urged the government to enhance the sum.
“It’s unbelievable. “Truly, really startling,” stated Prince Obeng Hemang, President of Ghana’s Colleges of Education Teachers Association, to the press.
“This pretense and hypocrisy must end,” he continued.
Mr. Hemang emphasized the importance of students’ devotion in these universities.
“If we truly want to feed the kids, we should do so on campus… “They must come clean and provide nice food so that they may live comfortably and learn well,” he added.
These worries arise as school meal caterers have petitioned for a raise in their basic school pupil allotment from 93 pesewas to GH3.00.
These requests are due to the high cost of food goods, and the country’s current economic position makes it hard for them to feed the students.
