The President of the Teacher Trainees’ Association of Ghana (TTAG), Soale Razak, has disclosed two major areas in which the government of Ghana must invest to improve the quality of education offered at the various 47 public colleges of education across the country.
Speaking during the 40th SRC Week Celebration of Tumu College of Education on February 11, 2025, themed “‘Prioritizing Teacher Education in a Changing Society; the Impact of National Policy,” Razak noted that teacher education is crucial for the growth of any developing country, particularly Ghana.
“As we gather here today, we are reminded of the critical role that teacher education plays in shaping the future of our society. Teachers are the backbone of our education system, and it is imperative that we prioritize their education and training to ensure they are equipped to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world,” he stated.
Razak added that, as a country, prioritizing teacher education involves deliberate investment by the government to improve the quality of education in Ghanaian public colleges of education and encouraging high-achieving students to consider teaching as a career path.
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He outlined two key measures the government should take into account:
- Maintaining the teacher trainee allowances
- Addressing infrastructural challenges in colleges of education
Touching on the issue of allowances, Razak posited, “The issue of maintaining the allowance has become a central topic of discussion in the education space. Let us not be deceived that replacing the student loan is a better alternative to replacing or canceling the teacher trainee allowances we are currently being paid.”
He explained that the teacher trainee allowance was introduced to promote the principle of egalitarianism in teacher education.
According to him, teaching is considered a social service, similar to other trainees in the police, armed forces, health, agriculture, and other social services in the country.
“This concept therefore affords both the less privileged and the well-to-do access to teacher education with ease, without any repayment terms. Replacing this allowance policy with a student loan would increase the bureaucratic steps in accessing financial assistance in public colleges of education while also entangling prospective teachers in lifetime loan debts with accruing interest,” he noted.
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Razak, therefore, called on stakeholders to support the call to maintain the allowance.
“We must, therefore, raise our collective voices to call for the maintenance and enhancement of the allowances instead of its cancellation. Payment of the teacher trainee allowances is a good investment in teacher education that would not only lead to teacher retention in our country but also help provide good, confident, and motivated teachers,” he emphasized.
On the issue of infrastructure, the president revealed that there is a wide gap between colleges of education and universities in terms of infrastructure development.
According to him, the colleges of education have been neglected for far too long, and there is a need for the government to prioritize developing infrastructure in the colleges to accommodate the increasing numbers.
“It is surprising to hear the government and other civil society organizations (CSOs) talk about providing equal treatment to all tertiary institutions, including colleges of education in the country, when there is a wide gap between the colleges of education and the universities in terms of infrastructure development,” he revealed.
He added that the government prioritizing infrastructural development in the colleges of education at this time is significant to provide space for more people to access teacher education and positively impact national policy in the country.
SEE ALSO: Colleges of Education Lack Needed Infrastructure for Trainees to Feed Themselves – President of Teacher Trainees’ Association of Ghana
Razak urged the government to set the pace in equipping the various colleges of education, including Tumu College of Education, with the digital tools needed to incorporate ICT in all aspects of teacher education.
“The government and other stakeholders must focus on equipping and improving the use of technology among teachers under training in colleges, so that we can contribute meaningfully to impacting basic schools with 21st-century skills,” he noted.
He concluded his address by encouraging all his colleagues -teacher trainees, to embrace their academic pursuits strongly and be deliberate in developing themselves.
“Of course, I offer my sincere thanks and appreciation to the SRC for organizing and executing a full-packed SRC week celebration for the benefit of all. I thank you, and may Allah bless us all.”