Our allowances’ delayed release is causing us a great deal of stress

The Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) has bemoaned the delay in the release of funds to the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) from the Controller for the disbursement to trainees across the Public Colleges of the country.

This comes on the back of the recent release of GHS241 Million for the payment of allowances to teacher trainees across the 46 public colleges of the country for the payment of the 2022/2023 academic year.

Despite the release of the funds, however, the trainees are yet to receive their allowances.

In a statement issued on Monday, 26 June 2023, co-signed by its President, Jephthah Nana Kwame, and General Secretary John Edem Avedzi, the TTAG said the delay is “causing untold hardships to teacher trainees particularly on feeding and purchase of teaching and learning materials.”

Shedding more light on challenges faced by teacher trainees who currently endure the absence of their stipend payments, the association noted: “The teacher trainee allowances serve as a vital lifeline, enabling trainees to meet their basic needs and alleviate the financial burden of tuition fees.

“Unfortunately, the prolonged delay in disbursing these allowances has left trainees in a state of distress and uncertainty,” it said.

According to the association, its members have been “patient on this issue since the start of the academic year in January 2023 (5 months) but we cannot guarantee it if the funds are not released immediately.”

It, therefore, urged the authorities to “urgently address the matter and ensure the prompt and seamless disbursement of the allowances.”