Colleges of Education heading towards food shortage as government fails to pay allowances
In the coming days, trainee teachers across the country may have to find alternative ways of feeding themselves as the government has not been able to pay their feeding grants and allowance for the past seven months.
The teacher trainees lament that the government has not paid their allowances for the 2021/2022 academic years, rendering their principals incapacitated.
In May 2022, Principals of Colleges of Education raised similar concerns after the government’s failure to pay that of the preceding academic year.
Jonathan Dzunu, National President of the Teacher Trainees Association lamented that the inability of the government to pay their allowances is negatively affecting their academic work.
“Some of the allowances are for the 2021/2022 academic year. We complained and they told us that some funds have been released but the monies are yet to be released, so we are hoping that soon the money will hit the accounts. Soon, if care is not taken, food shortage will hit the colleges of education because the principals are complaining that suppliers are not giving them supplies. Students are also complaining about food quantity and quality. So if things are not done early, there will be a food shortage and that will not be good for us,” he said.
Recently, the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana expressed worry over the amount that is being used to feed students of Colleges of Education across the country.
This comes after principals of Colleges of Education revealed that GH¢6.5 is the amount per head for feeding trainee teachers per day.
This, they say, has been the situation for over five years now, despite the recent increase in prices of food commodities in the country.
The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana described the situation as unfortunate and has thus called on the government to increase the amount.
“It is shocking. Really, really shocking,” Prince Obeng Hemang, the President of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana told the press.
“This pretence and hypocrisy have to stop,” he added.
Mr Hemang stressed that more commitment needed to be shown to the students in these colleges.
“If we really want to feed the students, we should feed them well on campus. They have to come clear and give them decent meals, so they will be able to live comfortably and study well,” he said.
These concerns come as school feeding caterers have protested for an increase in their allocation for basic school pupils from 93 pesewas per child to GH¢3.00.
The caterers said they are demanding the increment due to the high cost of food items and the current economic situation in the country that is making it impossible for them to feed the pupils.
