The government says processes are far advanced to clear the six-month outstanding allowances owed teacher trainees.
The Association of Teacher Trainees has given the government a three-week ultimatum to clear the arrears as it is affecting academic work in the various colleges.
In an interview with Citi FM, the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Education, Kwasi Kwarteng, said 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,” he said.
Teacher trainees last week gave the government a three-week ultimatum for the payment of their allowances which they say have been delayed for six months.
They say if the government fails to pay their allowances after the ultimatum expires, they will take “appropriate action” against the government for their voices to be heard.
In a press release, the President of the Teachers Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG), Dimbie Abdul Manan, and the General Secretary, Felix Abaidoo, stated that efforts to resolve the undue delay in the payment of their allowances have been unsuccessful, thus causing discomfort for teacher trainees.
“The leadership of TTAG on several occasions has engaged the Minister for Education, Director General for Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and the CEO for Student Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) to seek the prompt payment of the Teacher Trainees’ allowance but the results have always been the same,” the aggrieved teachers said in the release.
Prior to the 2016 elections, the New Political Party (NPP) made a campaign promise to restore the nursing and teacher trainee allowance which had been cancelled by the NDC government in 2014.
Upon assuming office in 2017, the NPP government restored both the nursing and teacher trainee allowance but has been unable to sustain the payments.
