Teacher trainees across the forty-six (46) public colleges of education are urgently calling on the government to fulfill its promise to pay their arrears without further delay.
Some of these trainees have expressed their frustration to Coleman Publications, citing that they have received payments for only two months of the 2023/2024 academic year, with just a few weeks remaining until the academic year concludes.
According to them, their second semester has been disrupted by the industrial action of the College of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG), causing the academic calendar to be extended.
This extension has put a strain on their financial resources, as their initial budget for the semester has been depleted.
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The final-year students have been particularly affected, as they have had to extend their accommodation arrangements and pay additional rent due to the extended academic period caused by the strike, since they are residing off-campus.
However, according to the trainees, the government has been slow to address these financial losses and to even provide an update regarding the state of their allowance.
They emphasized that a timely response is crucial to prevent further hardship, stating, “The government should do the needful as soon as possible.”
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Furthermore, some trainees mentioned that the government had previously assured them that their arrears would be settled once the industrial action by CETAG was called off.
However, this promise has yet to be fulfilled. The trainees are now urging the government to fulfill its commitments and pay their overdue allowances (arrears) promptly.