Withdrawal Of Teacher Trainee Allowance Fromteachers' Coalition For Good Governance(tcgg)

Following the recent demonstration by trainee teachers concerning the withdrawal of the teacher training allowance, TCGG wishes to take a stand in solidarity with our hardworking student educators.

The education of young minds, our leaders of the future is a task that is of utmost importance. It is therefore imperative that the profession of teaching should attract the best and the brightest to its ranks. Attracting the best and the brightest thus requires suitable incentives to draw the nation's talents to what should be a highly valued profession. It is thus baffling that, in withdrawing the teacher training allowance, the Mahama administration has decided to proceed with a course that counters the aforesaid logic.

Over the years, the undervaluing of teachers had already, hitherto, been marked - evident by poor salaries, poor conditions and the gradual withdrawing of benefits. To withdraw one of the few incentives left for those who aspire to join the profession is an absolute folly.

The profession is crying out for top talent. Teachers who have been in the profession for decades decry the continuous decline in standards and the poor calibre of many new teachers coming through the system compared to the days of yore. This is not the fault of the teachers themselves, but the fault of the system from which they came.

Teachers do not join the profession for the money, but because of a heartfelt desire to make a difference to the lives of future generations as role models and instructors. Hence, TCGG believes that the withdrawal of the teaching training allowance is the latest in a long line of 'slaps to the face from government'.

Should this undervaluing of teachers continue, the future prospects of children's education in this country will be at stake. Why should talented school leavers consider teaching as a profession if this is how the government values them? Yes, there will always be those that desire to be teachers. But if the current government carries on with its self-defeating course, it will not attract the best and the brightest.

As a result of government's conduct towards trainee teachers, the foundations of the future of this country are being hurt.

We therefore urge government to immediately restore the allowances and also pay serious attention to the human resource in the education sector.

Afia Kodua
0244967074

Alfred Amankwah
0244545434

Benard Barffour Gyawu
024 484 0157

Gideon Osei Dumgyah
0242340403

Augustine Nkrumah
0200620632