‘Withdrawing teacher trainee allowance would adversely affect educational system’
The Director of the Centre for Continuing Education (CCE) of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Professor George K.T. Oduro, has stated that the government’s withdrawal of the teacher trainee allowance will have adverse effects on the country’s educational system.
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Prof. Oduro said though he acknowledged the positive impact the withdrawal of the allowance would have on the expansion of students’ enrolment in the colleges of education, he was worried about its social implication.
Prof. Oduro said this as the guest speaker at the 7th congregation of Our Lady of Apostles (OLA) College of Education in Cape Coast in the Central Region on the theme: “The future of teacher education in Ghana”.
“I wonder if we as a nation considered critically, without putting on political lenses, the effect which abolishing the teacher trainee allowance is likely to have on children’s access to quality teachers?” he questioned.
Social service
He noted that “the provision and delivery of teacher training in the country had operated within the context of social service just as the training given to the police, the armed forces, health and other social trainees”.
According to him, the provision of the teacher trainee allowances was based on the egalitarian ideology which ensured that no individual was prevented from accessing social service training in pedagogy due to financial restrictions.
He said though the government had put in place the student loan facility for teacher trainees as an alternative means of financial support, it would be difficult for some of the students to access it due to the requirements.
He added that the withdrawal of the allowances would prevent less privileged individuals from accessing teacher training education, and that access to teacher education in future was more likely to favour individuals with good financial background or good social network.
“The egalitarian principle underlying teacher education delivery will be overtaken by an elitist ideology and ultimately become a profit making rather than a non-profit service facility”, he indicated.
Prof. Oduro entreated the “Ministry of Education to pause, reflect and re-consider the fate of the marginalised prospective students and put in place measures to prevent the situation where individuals in future would be discriminated against because of financial helplessness.”
Appointment of governing councils
He also expressed concern over the appointment of the governing councils of the colleges of education in the country, adding that “the future of teacher education in the colleges of education could be bleak, if structures to support their governance are not properly constituted”
He said the act establishing the colleges of education spelt out the membership of governing councils, saying, “it can be very challenging if majority of members of a college council lack understanding of how tertiary education institutions operate”
He further stated that to equip governing councils of colleges of education to function efficiently, it was important that government considered the caliber of people it appointed to serve on councils of the colleges of education.
“Getting the right people on governing councils of colleges of education, in my opinion, will contribute immensely towards the growth and development of the colleges to enable them enhances quality in their teacher education and development operations in future”, he noted.
Prof. Oduro also expressed worry over the attitudes of some individuals who saw the teaching profession as a “stepping stone” to other careers.
He admonished the graduating students to eschew such negative thought and be proud of the teaching profession.
The Principal, Rev. Sr. Elizabeth Amoako-Arhin, said the college had distinguished itself as a centre of excellence and poised to ensure that the education being offered prepared teachers adequately for better education delivery in public basic schools.
“We are confident that our graduates have been adequately, and holistically prepared and we are, therefore, capable of providing high quality instruction to basic school students across the length and breadth of the country”, she added.
Rev. Sr. Amoako-Arhin, however, said the college could not fulfill its mission of preparing teachers for the 21st century classroom without the needed support from government, and pointed out that the college needed infrastructural development, technology support and staff motivation.
