Government says over GH¢67 million has been released to Colleges of Education across the country for their feeding.
“I am very happy to inform you that government has released ¢67, 942, 652 to Colleges of Education. I know you may have read media reports, there were many calls on us to respond to concerns of PRINCOF,” the Minister for Education Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum disclosed at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday 20th April 2022.
He continued “We want to let the country know that the President of the Republic, the Finance Minister and all those who have work hard to ensure various promises made to Colleges of Education are carried through, have delivered on their promise. That is why this amount has been released to Colleges of Education.”
The development comes on the back reports that the colleges have been asked to prepare feeding themselves from May 4,2022.
Background
The National Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education (PRINCOF) has announced that Teacher Trainees will start funding their own feeding effective 8th May, 2022.
“The Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education has for a couple months now, been inundated with complaints from suppliers about the inability of Colleges of Education to make payments for food items supplied.
“In spite of the fact that prices of food items have gone up and a request from PRINCOF for an upward re of students’ feeding fees payable to Principals has not been approved yet, PRINCOF has still managed to provide some quality meals, three times a day for students,” PRINCOF disclosed in a statement.
According to PRINCOF, the move has become necessary due to the inability of Colleges of Education to pay for food items supplied to them.
The Conference further explained that food suppliers for the various institutions have withdrawn their services until they receive the monies owed them.
“It has now come to a point where suppliers have backed their threats of not supplying any food items to Colleges, with concrete action by not supplying Colleges with any food items until they have been paid money owed them.”
“Most Colleges now have food items that can last only one week if students are to be provided with three meals a day. To this end, and in order that the 2021/2022 academic year, which is already very tight, is not disrupted,” the statement added.
“PRINCOF has come up with the schedule below, which it feels would help keep students on campus 1. Trainee Teachers will be provided with two meals, breakfast and supper only, for one week, from April 23 to April 30, 2022. 2. Trainee Teachers, from May 1 to May 8, 2022, shalt be given lunch only.”
Source: Starrfm.com.gh