Equal Education, Unequal Treatment: A Call for Justice in Teacher Training Support

By Anass Zakaria
_Researcher, Political Analyst, Human Rights Advocate, and Conflict Resolution Expert_

Education is often described as the great equalizer — the tool through which society bridges inequality and creates opportunity. Ironically, in Ghana’s teacher education system, inequality is being perpetuated through the very structures meant to prepare future educators.

Even as I call on the Ministry of Education and the government to justify the astronomical increase in Colleges of Education fees to ₵5,000, I remain deeply troubled by the preferential treatment granted to students in these colleges over their counterparts in our universities.

Students in the Colleges of Education, pursuing the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) in Basic Education, enjoy benefits that many of their fellow students elsewhere can only dream of. They are housed at no cost, fed at no cost, and pay only tuition fees. On top of that, they receive monthly allowances from the government — an incentive that, while well-intentioned, now raises fundamental questions of fairness and equity.

Meanwhile, students pursuing similar education-related programs at the University of Education, Winneba, and the University of Cape Coast, are left to shoulder the full burden of their education — paying for accommodation, feeding, and tuition — with no government support whatsoever. Yet, at the end of the day, both groups graduate with the same qualification: a Bachelor of Education degree.

This, undoubtedly, is a clear case of inequality. It is discriminatory and unsustainable. Why should two students, reading the same program and preparing for the same profession, be treated so differently by the same government? Equal qualification should attract equal opportunity and equal support.

I therefore stand firmly in support of the cancellation of teacher training allowances and the introduction of a uniform policy framework that treats all education students fairly — whether they study in a College of Education or a university. Such reform would not only promote fairness but also ensure that government resources are distributed equitably and responsibly.

If we truly believe that education is the foundation of national development, then we must ensure that justice and equality form the cornerstone of how we invest in our teachers. Anything less is a betrayal of the very ideals we claim to uphold.