A LESSON NOTE OF AN UNEMPLOYED NEWLY TRAINED TEACHER

TOPIC: The State of Education in Ghana

SUB-TOPIC: Teacher Trainees are suffering in the hands of politicians.

RPK: It’s better to loose the 2016 presidential elections than to restore the teacher and nurses’ trainees allowances.

OBJECTIVES: By the end of the four years (2016-2020), a teacher trainee will be able to:

a. tell which of the political parties has plans for the teaching profession, teacher trainees, tutors and their job security.

b. tell which of the political parties speak the truth.

c. tell which of the political parties to vote for come 2020.

d. know which of the political parties betrayed them.

e. know the political party that invests much into teaching profession.

REFERENCES: Trainee Teachers who completed colleges of education from 2012-2018, Continuing students, Media Houses, College management, any concerned citizen.

TLMs: Video Recording of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on a campaign platform, Audio Recording of H.E John Dramani Mahama, H.E Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo’s campaign messages to teachers and teacher education, Hon. Johnson Asiedu Nketia’s speech record and the NPP 2016 campaign manifesto, an mp3 player, a projector, a laptop and a flash drive.

INTRODUCTION: Lesson is introduced by reviewing the readers’ and government officials’ Relevant Previous Knowledge (RPK) on the state of teacher and nursing trainees’ education.

ACTIVITIES:

1. Before 2016 presidential election, H.E John Dramani Mahama and Hon. Johnson Asiedu Nketia said that, ‘it’s better for NDC to loose the election than to restore the teacher and nurses’ trainees allowances.’ Finally, they lost the 2016 election.

2. H.E John Dramani Mahama cancelled the teacher trainees allowance earlier during his tenure and replaced it with feeding grant of Gh560.00 for each teacher trainee per semester, introduced student loan, eliminated the quota system and increased enrollment into colleges of education, provided direct job security for Newly Trained Teachers after completion, added more infrastructural development in some Colleges and semester fees moderate for trainee teachers.

3. During the 2016 elections campaign, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia composed a beautiful song on a stage where part read “Teacher Trainees are suffering, Nursing Trainees are suffering, Teachers are suffering, Nurses are suffering”. “No job for Ghanaians” He promised to change the suffering of Ghanaians most especially trainee teachers.

4. H.E Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo – Addo and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia promised to restore allowances during the 2016 election campaign among others. After they won the election, allowances were restored (Ghc200 for feeding which was paid to the colleges account and Ghc200 for continuing students’ upkeep while prospective Newly Trained Teachers at the time received Ghc400 and paid utility and other levies from it).

5. After the allowance was introduced, it replaced the feeding grants, quota system was indirectly introduced to reduce students intake, student loan was cancelled for students, a degree programme was introduced for the 2018/2019 new entrants, licensure examination was introduced, Direct and Mandatory National Service is to be introduced for trained teachers aside their peculiar one academic year services to the nation and newly trained teachers are to be paid national service allowances instead of full salary during the probation year. Newly Trained Teachers have to apply for their job after this service instead of the regular postings by the Ghana Education Service (GES). Student teachers semester fees have now increased abnormally.

6. 2018 Newly Trained Teachers have not received their postings from Ghana Education Service. The leaders and their entire membership agitated, had series of meetings to address the issue but all attempts proved futile. They finally demonstrated on 7th November, 2018 in Accra and 8th November, 2018 in Bolga to openly render their displeasure and unfair treatment. They earlier petitioned the office of the President of the Republic, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education and the Vice President. All of the above offices are yet to respond to the petition.

7. Before and after the demonstration, the Minister for Education Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh said, “Whether demo or not, Newly Trained Teachers will do a one-year mandatory national service”. He added “are you better than other professionals?” “This is the fight l love”, a similar language that put NDC into opposition. ……Hmmm…. We are only waiting for him to add “It will be better for them (NPP) to lose the 2020 election than to ask GES to process direct postings for Newly Trained Teachers”

8. Newly Trained Teachers are in dilemma on issues regarding their job security.

ADVISE

Voters (Newly Trained Teachers, all continuing students and teachers) think about the above and make your choice now.

STORY TIME

They keep saying “Colleges of Education are tertiary institutions.”

What is the definition of a tertiary institution? Help me with the answer if you know.

Which tertiary institution in Ghana experiences the following; students weeding, scrubbing, going for compulsory prep, compulsory boarding system, signing exeat for a maximum of three or five times in a semester, rising bell for waking up, no student loan, no free movements to and from school, students in uniform, the practice of senior and junior is still a norm where juniors always serve as labourers of the college, tutors are still fighting for their book and research allowances and market premium, Students are taught and examined by separate institutions.

College of education tutors were earlier told they have not met the status to enjoy such allowances since Colleges of Education are still infant tertiary institutions and are undergoing transitions, female students are not allowed to do any hair styles like females students from accredited tertiary institutions do, dress code and others are limited and even determined by the College management, etc. Yet still, we call these colleges tertiary institutions? Compare and make your judgement. Our stakeholders have all failed us.

When you say it, the only point they have is, are you not been awarded Diploma certificate? Hmmm…. Diploma and so what? Does the certificate awarded by an institution determine it’s status?

APPLICATION: What do you think will happen to teacher Education in the next ten(10) years?

CLOSURE: Scroll up and read the salient points again.

EXERCISE:

1. State the political parties that have plans for the teaching profession, teacher trainees, tutors and their job security.

2. Name the political party that speaks the truth.

3. Which political party will win the 2020 elections based on your analysis?

4. Which of these political parties really betrayed teacher trainees, the teaching profession and Ghana education as a whole?

5. Outline the political parties that have passion for the teaching profession.

6. Under who’s regime are Newly Trained Teachers, Teacher Trainees and Teachers suffering the most?

REMARKS: The lesson was successfully taught since about 90% of readers made meaning and contributed to lesson immensely.

I will pause here and refill my pen with a new ink. I sympathize with all Jobless Newly Trained Teachers and continuing students from the 46 Public Colleges of Education who are struggling with their academic activities since their tutors have declared an indefinite strike on 29th October, 2018. It’s not yet over. There are possibilities. Little by little, we shall get
there. The fight still continues. Aluta Continua
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