We Cannot Elevate Colleges of Education and Still Feed Teacher Trainees – Education Minister

The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has raised concerns over government’s continued expenditure on feeding allowances for teacher trainees while simultaneously absorbing their academic fees under the “No Fee Stress” policy.

Speaking at the inauguration of the councils of colleges of education in Accra, Mr. Iddrisu questioned whether it was sustainable for the state to finance both policies without creating duplication in budgetary allocations.

“We cannot elevate colleges of education and still have issues with feeding students. Let’s have a national conversation on it. If there are first-year students in the colleges of education benefiting from the ‘No Fee Stress’ policy, what do we do to avoid duplication?” he asked.

He noted that under the current structure, some trainees receive allowances ranging between GH₵400 and GH₵500 in addition to enjoying free tuition. According to him, such commitments place a heavy burden on the education budget.

Proposal for Sustainable Funding

The Education Minister suggested that Ghana could consider dedicating a portion of its oil revenue to sustain the “No Fee Stress” policy. He also proposed the establishment of a national scholarship and bursary authority to support human capital development.

“Since I became minister, the ‘No Fee Stress’ is one of the most impactful policies of President Mahama. Going forward, if the state can dedicate some funding from oil revenue, it can help sustain the policy and expand scholarship opportunities,” he added.

Financial Commitments in the Education Sector

Mr. Iddrisu highlighted the government’s financial commitments to the tertiary education sector, particularly with respect to research and infrastructure.

• Last year, government spent GH₵31 million on the Book and Research Allowance for 46 colleges of education.
• This year, over GH₵100 million has been earmarked for the same allowance.
• Overall spending on tertiary education rose from GH₵428 million in 2024 to a projected GH₵712 million in 2025.

He further disclosed that government had operationalised the National Research Fund and released more than GH₵30 million for book and research allowances this year.

Infrastructure Development

On infrastructure, the Minister revealed that government has set aside GH₵410 million for the completion of stalled projects in tertiary institutions across the country.

He also announced a policy proposal for the absorption of three additional colleges of education:

• Savannah College of Education
• Ghana Moslem Mission College
• One other pending approval

This, he explained, would expand access to teacher education while addressing infrastructure challenges facing the sector.

Conclusion

Mr. Iddrisu stressed that while government is committed to expanding access and improving quality in tertiary education, there is the urgent need to review existing funding structures for colleges of education. He maintained that sustaining both feeding allowances and the “No Fee Stress” policy may not be economically feasible in the long term.