The National President of the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG), Jephthah Nana Kwame, has expressed his concerns and dissatisfaction towards the government’s handling of teacher trainees and the state of colleges of education in the country.
Speaking on the Probe Show on Joynews monitored by Coleman Publications, Jephthah highlighted the inconsistency in the flow of teaching and learning at the various colleges which have been disrupted by the double track system and CETAG’s Strike actions.
He emphasized that the situation has left trainees in a state of uncertainty, with little information and efforts provided to ease their concerns.
Using a poignant metaphor, Jephthah described the plight of teacher trainees by stating, “They have moulded us as a pot from clay without polishing, yet they are applying heat unto us and expect us to be a good market.”
His statement encapsulates the frustration felt by many trainees who feel that their potential is being stifled by the current education system.
Furthermore, Kwame expressed his disappointment with the government’s slow response to the strike action by the College of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG).
He criticized the government for remaining silent when CETAG issued prior notices of their intention to strike in July, and highlighted the negative consequences that the strike action is having on trainees.
“At the end of the day, it is the teacher trainees who bear the brunt of any disruptions caused by these strikes” he stated.
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Addressing the issue of infrastructure, Jephthah stated that the current conditions in the colleges of education are highly inadequate.
“The accommodations provided to trainees, which are supposed to be hostels, do not deserve that title. The lack of proper facilities and poor living conditions have been a long-standing problem for trainees”- he asserted.
Jephthah suggested that it is high time the government allowed trainees to rent their accommodations outside campus and operate as day students as that will help solve some of the infrastructure issues in the colleges.
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He also called for a revision of the current system, requesting the government to consult and engage with stakeholders to find sustainable solutions that prioritize the well-being and development of teacher trainees and a lasting solution to CETAG’s Strike.