Members of the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) have threatened to picket at the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service tomorrow[ Wednesday] to demand their feeding grants and arrears owed them.
The Association, in a statement signed by the President of the group said government has refused to pay feeding grants to students after the scrapping of the teacher trainees’ allowances hence their decision.
“The Government of Ghana over the years has treated teacher trainees so poorly and has refused to pay feeding grants to students after the scrapping of the teacher trainees’ allowances and several unfulfilled promises even by top officials like the President and the Vice president.
“The leadership of Teacher trainees have sent several petitions, letters to the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service. Students have put red bands on their arms to lectures to express our utmost displeasure. Several Press Conferences have been organized. Our leadership has gone ahead even to sleep at the Ministry but “something good” is yet to come out of these efforts.”
The issue of non payment of teachers’ allowances has been lingering for sometime now.
In May, 2016, over three thousand teachers served notice they will picket at the Ministry of Finance over the non- payment of their salary arrears.
The teachers complained that government had refused to pay them despite several agitations.
The teachers, who were members of a group calling itself unpaid teachers, said despite being cleared by the audit service for their salaries to be paid, the Finance Ministry had failed to release their monies.
The statement from TTAG is below
To all media houses
INTER COLLEGE NETWORK
TEACHER TRAINEES PICKET ON WEDNESDAY OVER UNPAID FEEDING GRANTS.
Teacher trainees would be picketing on Wednesday December 28, 2016 at the Black Star Square through to the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service.
The Government of Ghana over the years has treated teacher trainees so poorly and has refused to pay feeding grants to students after the scrapping of the teacher trainees’ allowances and several unfulfilled promises even by top officials like the President and the Vice president.
The leadership of Teacher trainees have sent several petitions, letters to the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service. Students have put red bands on their arms to lectures to express our utmost displeasure. Several Press Conferences have been organized. Our leadership has gone ahead even to sleep at the Ministry but “something good” is yet to come out of these efforts.
We are therefore calling on all teacher trainees, media houses and other stakeholders to help us go to the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service come Wednesday, December 28, 2016 at exactly 8: 00 am at the Black Star square.
Teacher trainees are to come there in their numbers before 8:00am on the said day.
We count on your usual cooperation.
Thank you.
..signed…
Ekow Paintsil Djan
President
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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana