Matriculants

         Ghana's best college, Foso College of Education on Thursday, 7th February 2019, matriculated it's first year's students to offer Four-Year Bachelor of Education Degree programme in Basic Education. The ceremony took place at the college's assembly Hall which saw 400students (Matriculants).
The ceremony started with prayers said by Rev. Ekyem and the Acting secretary, Mr. Charles Nkrumah Yankson gave the purpose of the ceremony which was "To accept fresh students into the college, Foso College of Education.
     The Principal, Dr. Anthony Baayire, in his speech congratulated the matriculants for being lucky to be admitted into this prestigious college. He gave a brief history of the college and indicated that, the college has produced over 8000 qualified teachers to the country. He continued to say that, the college has zero tolerance for indiscipline therefore the matriculants should respect the various authorities of the college, and their own colleagues. He added that, the matriculants should take their studies very serious and should do their assignments and other exercises which they are much expecting from them. They should then engage themselves to any activities which goes on in the college.
                    APPLICANTS
      The Principal further stated that, the 2018/2019 application saw a total of 2051 applicants into the college,Foso College of Education,1504 qualified applicants but 400 applicants got admission into the college of which 146 females and 254 males.
The Principal again congratulated the matriculants as they are now accepted into the best college in the Ghana, Foso College of Education now University of Assin.

CREDIT: ROZZAY

source: www.phreshnewsgh.blogspot.com

          Concerns has been raised by most teacher trainees about their unpaid allowances about some months being in school. Initially, trainees were to receive their October, November, December  and January allowances respectively. But as at now nothing has been paid.
Before college resumed on 13th January, 2019 from Christmas break, a message which was from the TTAG President, Hon. Anthony Dadzie read "Sooner trainees will return to their campus, before then I will like to bring to your notice that Student Loan Trust Fund has not stop paying the allow allowance. The allowance will continue to to be paid to trainees of Colleges of Education. The government earlier on indicated that the allowance will he paid within 8months students will be in school. That's 4months each semester. Currently due to CETAG strike which washed the whole of November away and the need that came to for restructuring of the academic calendar, the 4months semester period is now December (2018), January, February, March (2019). Therefore, the allowance will be paid within the months indicated above and we should take note of it."
As at now, trainees has been in school since December but has not received any of the months mentioned above.
  Phreshnewsgh took upon themselves to know the reasons behind the delayed in the disbursement of the allowances. We then spoke to the Senior Public Relation Manager of SLTF, Mr. George Ferguson Laing, TTAG President, Hon. Anthony Dadzie and TTAG local President (WATICO) Hon. Emmanuel Mensah.

         STUDENT LOAN TRUST FUND (SLTF)
Phreshnewsgh asked Mr. Laing about the delay disbursement of the allowance to trainees and the change of GN E-Zwich cards. He responded; " The Ministry of Education and Finance are working to release funding for the allowances as well as feeding for trainees." He also added, payment will be made soon.Unfortunately he is not in a position to give specific dates. But said As soon as funds are released to the SLTF by the Ministry, they will disburse to students. He continued that, the SLTF disburse allowances to students when government makes Funds available and the funding is being worked on and the SLTF will disburse asthey receives it.

         CHANGE OF GN EZWICH CARDS
Mr. Laing explained that, the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems Limited (GHIPSS) has blocked GN cards. It's not a decision made by SLTF. So those with accounts from GN need to go and obtain a new card from another bank and give the new details to the school authorities.

   ALLOWANCES NOT CANCELLED
We (Phreshnewsgh) further asked the TTAG President, Hon. Dadzie about trainees not receiving allowances. He made it clear to us that, the Association is much concerned with the current situation and they(TTAG) have had personal meetings with the SLTF and the Ministry of Education. He said, last year, the Minister of Finance read in the budget that, the government is going to continue to pay the teacher trainees allowance so he believes sooner the allowances will be paid. He also told us he and his team will be meeting the Minister of Finance on Tuesday, 5th February, 2019 to discuss about the late disbursement of the allowance. He added, both level 100s and 200s are entitled to receive the allowance.

   INCREMENT OF THE ALLOWANCE.
Last year when TTAG met the Vice President, Hon. Dr. Bawumia, he talked of a possible increment of the allowance. Hon. Dadzie(TTAG President) responded by making it clear that, they are aware of it and the Vice President did not mention an exact amoun to be increased to. He said, the TTAG as at now cannot make any decisions now until they meet all concerned stakeholder. He then assured all trainees that the allowance will be paid soon but as when and how (Decembe/January paid together or separately) he has no idea about it.
 Hon. Emmanuel Mensah, local TTAG President(WATICO) pleaded to the Ministry of Education and SLTF to be quick in the disbursement of the allowances as students depend on it to buy handouts and also level 300 students are crying bitterly because they have been on out program for the past 4months without allowance. The former TTAG President confirmed to us that they have no received their allowance yet.

CREDIT: CHRISPINE OSEI KUFFOUR

source: www.phreshnewsgh.blogspot.com