C186bn allowance for teacher trainees

Accra, Dec. 19, GNA - Mr Micheal Nsowah, Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), said on Monday that 186 billion cedis had been projected as allowances for teacher trainees for the 2005-2006 academic year.
Mr Nsowah said the amount could increase depending on increases in salaries. Mr Nsowah told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that 134 billion cedis was spent on allowances of teacher trainees in 2004 -2005 academic year.
He said third year students were paid 550,779 cedis monthly without any deduction, while trainees in their first were paid a monthly allowance of 529,454 cedis each and 535,392 cedis was paid to a second year student out of which feeding fee of 162,925 was deducted monthly. Mr Nsowah said the rest of the money left after the deduction was used as pocket money, adding, however, that the allowances were given to motivate teachers to upgrade themselves.
He said the GES policy stated that teachers, who have been in the classroom for three years could pursue further courses, adding, however, that many of the trainees after their course failed to return to the classrooms.
He said because of the upgrading those who even returned did not go to the basic schools saying that was why there was shortage of teachers at the basic level.
Mr Nsowah said the country needed highly qualified trained teachers, who were dedicated and advised that trainee teachers used their allowances for the purpose for which it was given.
On school enrolment, Mr Nsowah said feedback from 63 districts on the implementation of the capitation grant showed nine per cent increase in schools enrolment for 2005 - 2006 academic year.
He said if the increasing trend continued then about 40,000 children would be enrolled saying, however, that each year GES recorded 1.3 per cent increase in enrolment over the previous year.