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Deputy Minister of Education in-charge of Tertiary, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has expressed surprise at the hostile reception accorded him and some other government appointees by college of education students selected from various institutions in the Ashanti region.

"It came as a surprise to everybody...all the principals were there and they asked the students why they were doing that and they (students) complained of the non-payment of their allowances," he told Kwami Sefa Kayi on PEACE FM morning show 'Kokrokoo' Thursday.

Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa, in the company of Deputy Communications Minister, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Acting Director at the National Service Scheme, Dr. Michael Whyte Kpessah, and other major stakeholders in government, were in the school as part of the nationwide tour christened “Campus Connect”, aimed at addressing students on opportunities available to them after completing their education.

Though the students had reported at the Wesley College of Education in Kumasi, venue for the event, they walked out when the Deputy Minister of Education in-charge of tertiary mounted the podium to address them. 

Their bone of contention had to do with the fact that despite several petitions to the Minister over their trainee allowances, he has turned a deaf ear to their concerns. 


Background

In 2013, government took a decision to scrap allowances for trainees in the colleges of education and this according to the Education Minister, Professor Jane Naana Agyeman was to ensure equity and fairness in the educational system.

The move, she said, was also to attract the best calibre of prospective students with passion for the teaching profession, as well as equip existing colleges to admit adequate number of students.

She said it was in line with this that the government was upgrading the teacher training institutions into colleges of education to accord them that tertiary status.

However, the move by the government did not go well with some trainee teachers who called for the allowance to be reinstated.


Usain Bolt?

Hon Ablakwa, who is also the Member of Parliament for North Tongu in the Volta Region, said the students behaviour was quite 'unruly', but "...we didn’t want to invite the police and create a scene. We just walked quietly into our various cars and drove quietly away. We were not heckled. I have heard reports that I became like Usain Bolt and was running away with my colleagues....no one took to his heels, no one was pelted with stones...none of that happened".

The Deputy Minister wondered why the students did not wait to hear what they had to say because “it was the best opportunity to interact but the way they conducted themselves, did not help us to achieve our objective. Do we want a regime which allows the allowances to be paid to a few students? Majority of these students would not have been admitted if we had not taken this decision (to scrap the trainee allowance). It is also an issue of judicious use of resources.”

Nonetheless, he said, "I can assure you that 'campus connect is still on'.