The Teacher Trainee Advocacy (TTA) has cautioned newly trained teachers against undertaking the new policy requiring them to do a one-year national service.

Patrick Karikari, national convener of the TTA explained that “students were not informed about the intentions to make students take part in the National Service Scheme while in school for three years.”

Speaking Friday to Mamavi on News Desk on Joy News TV, Mr Karikari explained that “government through the NSS released a letter October 25, addressing that the trainees will go through the national service scheme before they will be posted.”

He stated that the newly trained teachers were made aware that after writing the Teacher Licensure Examinations, they will be posted when the results are out.

“The National Teaching Council said the trainees had to write the licensure examination to become professional teachers and after those postings will begin,” he said.

According to him, the future of the 16,000 trainees awaiting their postings are in a limbo because the results of the examinations are not out.

The TTA national convener said members feel disrespected by the manner government springs on them a number of policies like the Teacher Licensure Examination and reduction of their semesters from four to two, without consulting them. 

He asked the NSS and government to reconsider the decision for the teachers to do the National Service before they are posted.

However, Director of Public Affairs at NSS, David Prah, who also spoke on News Desk said about 14,000 pin codes have been released for them to generate for the registration.

Mr. Prah said the decision to allow these teachers to go through the national service was taken because the transition from teacher training schools to colleges of education has automatically made the training schools tertiary institutions.

He explained that “it is now mandatory by law for these newly trained teachers to go through the national service.”

The Director of Public Affairs at NSS said an arrangement was made with Ghana Education Service (GES) so that the probation year will be taken as the service.