The Mysterious Allowances

The Teacher and Nursing Trainees are crying for their “allowances” as trainees before they become professionals who are guaranteed jobs with salaries and basic allowances. In this same spirit, what can we say about Public University Students and Trainees pursuing similar programmes without allowances? I think we are creating a situation where people now choose careers (professions) based on packages attached to these careers instead of their passion and talent for the careers.

Careers or professions must be pursued out of passion and capabilities but currently, that is not the picture in the education and health sectors in my beloved country. (Similar situation exist in other professions). A lot of youths in the country are pursuing the teaching and health profession (sector) just because of allowance payments.

To some; why should people be paid allowances before they agree to be trained as teachers and nurses? Should the allowance be the motivating factor or the passion for the job or profession? As a country, we must set our priorities clear and pursue them fairly and firmly. Let us be reminded that, we are still behind in terms of development and other related matters hence we must do what is needed first. (“Mpanin sεε yε yε dεa ehia ansaa na ya yε deε εfata”) Another phenomenon we are failing to identify is; a lot of people are also going into the teaching and nursing professions because of the job security attached and the economic hardship.

But I think, this (job security) must be a good motivating factor compared with the “allowance payment” because: this problem can easily be addressed when “priorities” are given to all other talents and sectors to make them equally attractive and secured. The country must also be strengthen economically to reduce the hardships drastically. Again, Innocent citizens are losing out on their natural talents and purpose on earth just because leaders are not creating the enabling environment for them to explore their potentials. Future leaders (Children) are missing in reality because they are not getting passionate teachers to train and teach them very well due to the “mysterious allowances hunger” and its secret companion “Economic Hardship”.

What of the innocents who died; are dying; shall be dying due to bad, nondeserving and non-passionate nurses and doctors flooding the health centers due to the motivation of “almighty allowances” and its companion? Indeed the future is crying. The approval and payment of allowance to trainee students with the excuses that these persons are from poorer homes and background I think is very insulting and must be sweep under the carpet. Why? Are we saying the teaching and nursing professions belongs to or are reserved for only poor citizens? If “YES” then I think it is better we make nursing and teacher training (education) free for the “poor” to afford. If “NO”, then I suggest the grass root cause of people not able to afford teaching and nursing training (education) is poverty.

Therefore, the issue of poverty and its related problems must be addressed quickly; by creating industries to employ the “qualified”, adding value to exports, diversification of the economy and country to cover and consider all types of talents (careers) hence eliminate the common expressions; “THE PROGRAMME YOU STUDIED IS NOT MARKETABLE” and “YOUR TALENT IS NOT MARKETABLE” etc.

These shall help the country to get a lot of skillful human resources and revenue for development. It shall also help to provide more free conditions, goods and “things” it want or need to provide for its citizens. To add, I think we must learn to create the enabling environment for all talents to be developed into income generating ventures rather than forcing everybody into pursuing some selective Talents, Programmes or Courses claimed to be the best and in common term “MARKETABLE”. Humbly, if really these programmes (talents) are not “MARKETABLE”, why approved them to be studied or pursued in schools across the country? Can we all offer the so called Marketable Courses…? Furthermore, it shall be a miracle to see politicians willingly enroll their children in public schools across the country because they do not have faith and trust in the teachers been trained for us.

In this say spirit: I think, it is very difficult for our politicians to employ the services of our trainee nurses. (Unless in “very” emergency situations) Above all, which persons are to be blamed for these elderly problem? Hmm, whose door steps shall we lay the blame? Is it on poor leaderships and policy making, greediness of some mightier few, or ………? Interestingly, some religious believers are saying: “leave everything to God/Allah because he knows best: we are in the end times”. Hmm; is that what God/Allah really want from us or want us to say? Accordingly: my understanding from various Holy Books and teachings shows that, irrespective of Gods anger towards man during the ages of Adam and Eve, (or early creation): He asked us to take control of the world and all its lovely resources; use them to our benefit and the benefit of all “but” not to destroy it or allow it to be destroyed by decisions of some few who may negligently or willing want to exploit (destroy) them/us for their greedy desires and ambitions. If care is not taken, we may witness a lovely country in the future where people shall begin to import or employ the services of teachers, nurses and doctors from other parts of the world to attend to their needs.

Humbly, let us find a better way to get people, families to afford and enrolled successful in these trainee schools with their natural talents and also make the teaching and nursing career (profession) a better one with best conditions and services rather than using the “firefighting” approach to harness the “aged grand problem” in this Twenty First Century. (Equal attention must be given to all areas and professions as well in the process). The problem of people not enrolling in teaching and nursing institutions (professions) in the past which led to teachers and nurses deficit in the country has already be addressed by the allowance policy some ages back (I believe).

Therefore, a modern trend must be adopted to solve the root cause which I believe is Gross “POVERTY” or “HARDSHIP”. If this root causes cannot be addressed, then I think it shall be very refreshing and in the best interest of all citizens if teacher and nursing training (education) are made FREE instead of paying allowances to the students. Thus, “if we can gladly afford it as a country”. Water is really running down the lovely future face of my beloved country, most especially the broader faces of health and education; thus, If we continue to train more and more square pecks as teachers, nurses and maybe doctors to fit in “certainly” round professional holes.

Our leaders must stop taking advantage of the gross ignorance among the people for their political games and merit; come together in good faith and holistically solve the aged allowance issues and its related foreseeable and unforeseeable destructions.

How long are we going to continually see students demonstrate over the nonpayment of their “allowances” and the refusal of leaders to increase their “allowances” instead of demonstrating for more quality infrastructure and learning materials? How long can different GOVERNMENTS continue to increase and pay “allowances” to students?

By the way, can’t these monies, paid as allowances be invested and the proceeds channeled into paying wealthier salaries and providing good conditions of service or living for trainee teachers and nurses when they finally become professional teachers and nurses?

To the believers, will our creators be happy to receive us when we leave things this way to finally join them; to all, Posterity shall surely judge us when our works are over and we fly away home, living things this way.

Ghana!! Yes, we can. Let us start making the sacrifices needed now, for a better tomorrow for ourselves, families, children and others.

Thank You All and God Richly Bless Our Homeland Ghana. By: COFFIE CONFIDENCE (www.thetyad.org