Your allowances will be paid soon – Ministry of Education to teacher trainees
As aggrieved teacher trainees bemoan the delay of their allowance an assurance has finally come from the government stating that processes are far advanced to clear the six-month outstanding allowances owed the teachers.
An ultimatum was sent by the disgruntled teacher trainees to the government to settle their arrears as it was affecting their academic work in the various colleges.
Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer of the Education Ministry, Kwasi Kwarteng, assured that the Ministry had already made requests for the trainees and that the Ministry of Finance has also given approval for the payment to be done.
He said the Controller and Accountant General’s Department is currently processing the payment to disburse to the various colleges of education.
“The Ministry of Finance is responsible for releasing the funds. The ministry has done its part, and it is now at the level of the Controller and Accountant General’s Department for final disbursement. So I’m sure as soon as possible the money will be released,” Kwasi Kwarteng.
Teacher trainee allowances was a promise the New Patriotic Party (NPP) made in the build-up to the 2016 elections. It promised to restore the allowances of teachers and nurses trainees which had been cancelled by the NDC government in 2014. Though the allowances have been restored, it has not been a hassle-free encounter between both parties as trainees often times have to issue threats before their allowances are disbursed.
The then NDC government defended its decision by saying this was to allow it to expand various educational infrastructure in the country as well as remove the restrictions on admission to the various training institutions, and make it possible for the trainees to also access student loans.
According to the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta in 2019 the government had paid 48,000 teacher trainees GH¢ 532 million in allowances.
He also revealed that the government will continue with the payment of allowances to a projected number of 54,108 trainee teachers.
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
