A Concerned Trainee Writes A Letter To President Akufo-Addo
Today marks the 5th day when September ended.
Just as I have always acknowledged the ruling government for fulfilling its promise of restoring and paying the trainees’ allowances since 2018/2019 Academic Year to 2019/2020 Academic Year; it gives me the same authority to also speak when things are not going as we expect or we’ve been promised.
Let me pause awhile and extend my utmost gratitude and respect to the leadership of the Teacher Trainees’ Association of Ghana (TTAG) for their services in trying times like this; I cannot proceed without showing gratitude to the Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education (PRINCOF) for feeding us (trainees), through any means possible, for the just-ended academic year even though the government had not fulfilled its duty.
Back on track, many trainees had to leave campuses to the world of work to seek employment in other to get nokofio to settle all or pay part of their fees – they did this while examinations were ongoing and they either missed all or some of the papers because of not being able to clear arrears.
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Also, Principals of Colleges of Education turned to be playing hide and seek with their suppliers because they are indebted to the latter.
In furtherance, current L400 students spent only two weeks at home after ending the second semester for the 2020/2021 Academic Year; they are currently in school and have started the new academic year about a month and a week now. After paying about 1,500.00 cedis fees for the 2020/21 Academic Year, they had only two weeks to gather funds to pay for their rent, utility bills, feeding, and school fees since they are no longer spending the first semester of L400 in schools.
Imagine yourself as a parent to any of these trainees, YOU WOULD HAVE EMPATHIZED WITH ME.
TTAG has done its best and has now reached the zenith of its efforts in terms of being diplomatic. Kudos to you!
The Minister and his associates in charge of the allowances had severally promised us (trainees) to the extent of even assuring us that the just-ended September we were going to be paid. But, WHAT IS THE OUTCOME?
MEANWHILE, IF THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT CAPABLE OF CONTINUING THE PAYMENT OF TRAINEES’ ALLOWANCES TOO, IT SHOULD BE CLEAR TO US.
At this juncture, I want to state emphatically that trainees are not interested in the release of communique which does not change anything in their favor; neither are they interested in assurances (A PAINFUL TRUTH): All WE need to see is ACTION!
If all professionals can boast and the TEACHER taught them all then TEACHER TRAINEES could be or do anything else which is appropriate and by the law as we can all think of in situations like this.
This should tell you that we (TEACHERS) are not cowards but we are only noble professionals.
I will end by reminding you of Nkrumah’s quote,
“CHANGE WHEN IT IS DENIED OR TOO LONG DELAYED….”
Yours In Students’ Service
OWUSU PRINCE KWABENA (OPK)
SRC President (Local TTAG President), SDA COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
(0543374224)