The Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education (PRINCOF) has announced a drastic adjustment to feeding arrangements for teacher trainees across Ghana’s 47 public Colleges of Education.
Effective immediately, Monday, June 16, 2025, resident teacher trainees will now receive only one hot meal daily, a stark reduction from the previous provision of three meals.
This difficult decision, communicated in a letter to the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG), stems from what PRINCOF described as the financial impossibility of sustaining the current feeding model amid soaring costs.
The genesis of the current feeding arrangement lies in an agreement between PRINCOF and TTAG, which sees a portion of the government’s feeding grant dedicated to student meals.
Out of a total monthly grant of GHS 400 provided by the government to students for feeding, an amount of GHS 196 is deducted. This deduction is calculated at a rate of GHS 8.00 per trainee per day, specifically allocated for providing meals to the students.
The statement noted that for years, the per diem rate has formed the cornerstone of the feeding program within the colleges, designed to ensure that trainees residing on campus receive adequate nutrition throughout their rigorous academic schedules.
However, the statement indicated that the prevailing economic climate has rendered it long-standing arrangement unsustainable.
“After careful consideration and extensive consultations across all 47 public Colleges of Education, PRINCOF has concluded that it is impossible to continue feeding your members on the current GHS 8.00 per trainee per day.”
Dr. Samuel Addae-Boateng, General Secretary
Primary Drivers
PRINCOF further pointed out that the primary drivers behind this financial strain are the relentless increases in the cost of food items, coupled with the escalating expenses associated with related logistics such as cooking fuel, transportation of supplies, and maintenance of kitchen facilities.
The statement emphasised that these compounded costs have created an insurmountable burden on college budgets, making it financially unsustainable to continue providing three meals a day without severely compromising the institutions’ very existence.
According to the statement, despite repeated efforts by PRINCOF to engage TTAG in discussions aimed at increasing the daily feeding rate to a more realistic and sustainable amount, these attempts have regrettably proven unsuccessful over the years.
Per the statement, this impasse has left PRINCOF with no recourse but to unilaterally implement the adjustment. The resolution means that from this week forward, the focus will shift to ensuring that at least one nutritious hot meal is provided daily to all teacher trainees residing on campus, with students expected to make alternative arrangements for their remaining meals.
This measure, while undoubtedly impacting student welfare, is presented as a critical step aimed at safeguarding essential services and preventing the colleges from spiralling into deeper financial distress.
“While we acknowledge the importance of adequate nutrition to trainee welfare and academic performance, we must also ensure that feeding arrangements are realistic and within our institutions’ financial capacity.”
Dr. Samuel Addae-Boateng, PRINCOF General Secretary
Move as Strategic Intervention
The current strain on college budgets is described as significant, and this decisive measure is portrayed as a painful but necessary step to ensure that the colleges can continue to function and provide quality education, even if it means reconfiguring a core aspect of student welfare.
The move was framed as a strategic intervention to mitigate financial collapse, allowing the colleges to maintain their primary mandate of training future teachers for the nation.
Looking ahead, PRINCOF reiterated its unwavering commitment to fostering collaborative engagement with all relevant stakeholders.
The letter emphasised the conference’s dedication to working closely with the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG), the Ministry of Education (MoE), and the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), among other key players.
The objective of these continued dialogues will be to explore and implement sustainable long-term solutions to the multifaceted challenges impacting trainee welfare.
This commitment suggests that while the immediate adjustment is a measure of necessity, PRINCOF is open to finding more equitable and sustainable funding mechanisms that could potentially restore a more comprehensive feeding program in the future.
The conference also appealed for the understanding and cooperation of TTAG and its members as this significant adjustment is implemented, stressing that the decision was made in the best interest of both the colleges and the trainees they serve, aiming for a future where both can thrive.
READ ALSO: Golden Kick FC Coach Charged for Misconduct By GFA
