Opinion by: Osei-Gyamfi Prince
For years, the government of Ghana has provided allowances to teacher and nurse trainees as a means of incentivizing enrollment in training colleges.
This policy was initially introduced in the 1960s when Ghana faced a severe shortage of teachers and healthcare professionals. The allowance was meant to attract more students into these professions to fill critical gaps in the education and health sectors.
However, in today’s context, the relevance of this allowance no longer holds. I strongly argue that it has outlived its purpose and should be abolished.
If the government insists on maintaining it, then fairness demands that tertiary education be made free for all Ghanaian youth.
It is deeply unfair for only students in training colleges to receive financial support while others studying similar education and health-related programs in traditional universities struggle to pay their own fees.
The Shift in Educational Landscape
In the past, only few people signed up for education and healthcare courses but today, thousands of students show a lot of interest in such programs.
The shortage that once justified the allowance no longer exist. Also, today, the traditional universities prepare students for the same professions without providing them any financial assistance.
This raises a fundamental question: What makes training colleges different?
Arguments for Scrapping the Allowance
If the government insists on funding tertiary education, it should not be limited to training college students.
Instead, the government should consider implementing a free tertiary education policy for all Ghanaian students, ensuring equal access to financial support.
We must prioritize fairness, efficiency and long-term benefits to ensure that resources are used where they are most needed.
It is not about denying students financial support but about creating a system that benefits all students equally and promotes national development.
A responsible government must make tough but necessary decisions for the greater good of the country, and scrapping the trainee allowance is one of those decisions.
Equality in Tertiary Education
It is unjust to offer financial support only to training college students while their counterparts in traditional and technical universities struggle to pay their fees.
If financial aid is necessary, it should be extended to all tertiary students or restructured into a needs-based scholarship system.
Supporting one group while neglecting others who are equally deserving only fosters inequality in the education system.
This growing disparity in financial support creates a two-tier system where some students enjoy significant government benefits while others, facing the same economic hardships, are left to fend for themselves.
Such an approach breeds resentment and frustration among university students, who see themselves as unfairly burdened with tuition fees, accommodation costs, and other financial obligations while their training college counterparts receive allowances.
Financial Burden on the Government
Ghana’s economy is already strained, and the government spends millions annually on trainee allowances.
These funds could be better utilized to improve the quality of education, provide more learning materials, expand infrastructure for tertiary institutions, and build more schools and hospitals to employ these students after graduation.
Currently, many trained teachers and nurses remain unemployed because the government is struggling to provide financial clearance and lacks adequate facilities to accommodate them.
Instead of maintaining this unsustainable expenditure, the government should focus on long-term solutions that benefit the entire education and health sectors.
Holding the Whole Country at Ransom
One of the most troubling aspects of maintaining the trainee allowance is how it has become a political tool for securing votes.
Teacher and nurse trainees often use this allowance as leverage, threatening political parties that they will either vote for or against them based on their stance on the allowance.
This is dangerous because it is not the political parties’ personal funds being spent—it is the taxpayer’s money.
Playing politics with such a serious national issue is highly irresponsible and creates a precedent where financial policies are determined by electoral threats rather than sound economic planning.
Moreover, this trend sets a bad example, suggesting that citizens can pressure the government into unsustainable financial commitments through political blackmail.
If we continue on this path, other groups may also begin to make similar demands, leading to an endless cycle of unsustainable government expenditures at the expense of national development.
Policies should be based on long-term national interests, not short-term electoral gains.
Sustainability
Relying on allowances to attract students into teaching and nursing is unsustainable. Many trainees, after receiving financial support, do not even remain in the profession long-term.
Some migrate abroad, while others switch careers, rendering the investment futile. Instead of providing allowances at the entry level, incentives should focus on improving salaries and working conditions to retain professionals in these fields.
A well-compensated workforce with a strong commitment to their profession will serve Ghana far better than a system that pays students upfront without guaranteeing their long-term dedication.
Counterarguments and Their Flaws
Some believe that stopping the allowance will discourage students from enrolling in training colleges.
But is this really the case? Thousands of students pay their way through traditional universities without any government allowance.
If people truly want to pursue these professions, they will find a way, just like other tertiary students do.
The real issue is not the allowance but whether the government provides adequate post-training employment opportunities and fair wages to make these careers attractive in the long run.
Recommendations and Conclusions
What we need as a country is a merit-based and need-based scholarship program that supports students who genuinely require financial assistance.
This system would ensure that only those in need receive support, making the process more equitable and sustainable.
A better way to attract and retain professionals in teaching and nursing is by improving salaries, working environments, and career progression opportunities.
Instead of focusing on allowances at the training level, the government should increase salaries for teachers and nurses to make the professions more attractive.
