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The President of the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG), Samson Tagba, has described as “unjustifiable” the decision to dismiss 1,400 trainees for failing in some subjects.

He accused the examination body of simply acting according to “their whims and caprices” as they directed the dismissal of students in line with the newly implemented progression policy. 

The policy is from the supervising institution, University of Cape Coast (UCC), directing the withdrawal of students who fail in core subjects such as Mathematics, among others. 

Students in three training colleges have since gone rampage in response to dismissals in their respective institutions.

Speaking to Citi News, Mr. Tagba condemned the riots but said it is in response to the dismissal of deferred students because they tried to avoid such outcome.

“We tried our possible best as the student leadership in consultation with the institutes to curb them [the riots]…We are not encouraging our colleagues to embark on any radical means to register their displeasure…We are going to address the issue diplomatically” he added.

He also stressed that the dismissals for non-academic performance are unjustified and contrary to the examination body’s progression rules.

“What they are doing to our colleagues right now is contrary to what they have written down as the working principle to guide their academic activities in their institutions.”

He stated that the cause for dismissal only arose after failure in four subjects and even then, there was the opportunity for a supplementary exam.

“We have a progression rule that says that for a student to be withdrawn or deferred, that student would have obtained one, two, three or four E’s at the end of the year’s academic work, and the deferred student must pass in at least three courses in the supplementary examination context at the end of the academic year before he or she can progress to second year.”

Mr. Tagba argued that there is no acceptable reason for the dismissal if the students met the standard of this progression rule.

He further noted that the association is scheduling a meeting to decide the next plan of action, adding that they may be compelled to go to court if their grievances are not resolved.