The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced the government’s decision to halt the provision of feeding allowances for teacher trainees in Ghana’s colleges of education.
During a meeting with college principals in Accra, the Minister explained that the government could no longer sustain this policy, stating that it was financially unsustainable and inconsistent with international higher education practices.
He stressed that the responsibility of feeding tertiary students should not fall on the government, as it is not a viable long-term approach. Instead, the government plans to replace the feeding allowance with an improved student loan scheme, enabling trainees to manage their own living expenses, including meals.
Haruna Iddrisu highlighted that this shift is essential for maintaining sustainable government expenditure in the education sector while also promoting self-reliance among teacher trainees.
“There is no justification for feeding tertiary-level students. We need to transition from allowances to an enhanced student loan system that allows them to cater for themselves,” he stated.
However, he assured that allowances would still be provided temporarily as the transition is being implemented.
K Fosu The Informant is a lifestyle blogger with 6 years' experience in content and web development. He is a Google keyword planner, SEO analyst, an influencer and entrepreneur who holds BA Degree from Ghana's Premier University.