A change is coming to how teacher trainees in Ghana’s public Colleges of Education are fed—and it’s not just about food. It’s about sustainability, fairness, and ensuring students continue to receive essential support despite rising costs. Join us on WhatsApp for more https://chat.whatsapp.com/IwYdwerq679JpLNCAQXatL
The Realities Behind the Meals
For years, students in public Colleges of Education have received three daily meals, paid for through a government-provided monthly feeding allowance of GHS 400. From this, GHS 196 (about GHS 8.00 per day) has been allocated specifically to feeding through a long-standing arrangement between PRINCOF (Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education) and the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG).
That setup worked for a while. But as food prices and logistics costs have steadily increased, the GHS 8.00 per day budget has become harder and harder to stretch across breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Why PRINCOF Had to Act
Despite several attempts to encourage an increase in the daily feeding rate, no consensus has been reached. In light of this, and after careful consultation across all 47 public Colleges of Education, PRINCOF has made a tough but necessary decision:
Starting June 16, 2025, teacher trainees residing on campus will be provided with one hot meal per day.
This is not just a budget cut—it’s a strategic shift. Continuing with three meals per day at the current funding level is simply unsustainable. The reality is that sticking with the old system would have eventually compromised more than just meals. It would have threatened essential college services and overall student support.
The new arrangement means each trainee will now receive one well-prepared meal daily. While it may seem like a setback at first glance, it is actually a step toward preserving the financial health of the colleges and ensuring consistency in at least one important area: nutrition.
It’s also a recognition of the broader economic context. Institutions are struggling to cope with inflation and logistics costs, and maintaining the old model would mean sacrificing quality for quantity which serves no one in the long run.
This development is a reminder of the need for collective dialogue and shared responsibility. If trainees want more than one meal a day, it may be time to revisit the feeding contribution rate in collaboration with PRINCOF and other stakeholders.
No one wants to make cuts that affect students. But when it becomes a choice between compromise and collapse, smart adaptation is the only option.
PRINCOF remains committed to the welfare of teacher trainees. Providing one hot meal per day is not an end—it’s a pivot. One that allows colleges to keep supporting students while adjusting to new financial realities.
The hope is that with mutual understanding and cooperation, future improvements can be made. For now, this shift ensures that no trainee goes entirely without and that colleges stay afloat to continue their core mission educating the next generation of Ghana’s teachers.
