IMF Bailout: TTAG appeals to gov’t not to cancel teacher trainee allowances

Leadership of the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) has appealed to government to maintain payment of the trainees’ allowances even if it becomes a conditionality of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout.

The Association says its major fear is that government will scrap the teacher trainees allowances as Ghana commences deliberations with IMF for bailout.

The teacher trainees say their fear is premised on the fact that even without IMF bailout, the allowances have delayed for over two semesters.

President of the Ashanti, Brong and Ahafo regions (ASHBA) of TTAG Adu Kwabena Dennis while delivering his keynote address at their 26th delegates conference, expressed the Association’s utmost fear that the most touted student’s allowance may be scrapped as part of the IMF conditionality.

Master Adu Kwabena Dennis explained that “we want the government not to consider cancelling the allowance. I say this because when the allowance is cancelled, thousands of students who really depend on the allowance for survival will be sidelined.

“I must confess that it was the allowance that encouraged most of us to attend the colleges and it is the same allowance that has sustained some of us. In fact some of us depend on the allowance to pay our fees and buy books.”

During the 26th conference of the Teachers Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG), the issues of delay in payment of allowance and inadequate hostel facilities took centre stage.

The students after applauding government for restoring the allowance further appealed for the two semester arrears to be paid to ease students from the heightened economic tension they are faced with.