Education Minister Announces Plans to Replace Teacher Trainee Allowance with Enhanced Student Loan Scheme
The Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, has revealed plans to phase out the national teacher trainee allowance and introduce an enhanced student loan scheme. The announcement was made during a meeting with the leadership of the Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education, Ghana (PRINCOF) in Accra. According to Minister Iddrisu, the new scheme is designed to empower students to take care of their own feeding and personal expenses. The government believes that students at the tertiary level should be able to cater for themselves, and therefore, will no longer provide feeding allowances.
The student loan scheme will operate alongside the allowance system for a short period, giving students the option to choose before the full transition takes place. Eventually, the government plans to adopt the standard practice in all tertiary institutions, where students rely on loans instead of direct allowances. Minister Iddrisu also acknowledged the major infrastructural and logistical challenges facing colleges of education. Despite budgetary constraints, the government has committed to improving conditions. The minister emphasized the need for additional hostel facilities, science and ICT laboratories, and general classroom improvements to accommodate the growing student population.
The President of PRINCOF, Professor Samuel Awinkene Atintono, raised concerns about stalled infrastructure projects in colleges of education. He urged the government to conduct an infrastructure audit and prioritize completing abandoned projects before initiating new ones. The government has demonstrated its commitment to supporting teacher education, having released GH¢241 million in July 2023 to pay allowances. The new plan to replace the allowance system with a student loan scheme marks a significant shift in the government’s approach to supporting teacher education.
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