Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu has revealed the government’s decision to halt feeding allowances for teacher trainees in colleges of education nationwide.

During a meeting with college principals in Accra, he stated that the policy was financially unviable and inconsistent with international higher education standards.

He emphasized that funding meals for tertiary students should not be a government responsibility, as it is not a sustainable long-term measure.

To replace the feeding program, the government intends to introduce an improved student loan scheme, enabling trainees to cover their own living costs, including meals.

The Minister described this transition as essential for ensuring fiscal sustainability in the education sector while promoting self-sufficiency among teacher trainees.

“There is no way you should be feeding a student at the tertiary level so we have to work out a transition from the allowance into an enhanced student loan for them to feed themselves.

“But in the interim, they will still get the allowances. I cannot conceive of a student in a higher education institution being fed.”