Key changes in the fee structure

The new breakdown indicates notable increases in several fee components:

• Residential fee: increased from GHS 500 to GHS 1,000 per year.
• Digital resource fee: newly introduced at GHS 600 per year.
• Examination fee: increased from GHS 500 to GHS 530 per semester.
• TTAG Project Levy: GHS 30 per year.

Official totals published alongside these items show Level 200 and 300 students at GHS 2,172.60 and Level 400 students at GHS 1,531.65.

Why trainees are concerned

Many trainees have described the increases as burdensome and lacking sufficient justification. Their concerns include:

• Poor residential conditions: Some campus residences are reported to be overcrowded, poorly maintained, and lacking reliable water and sanitation — conditions that trainees say do not warrant a doubling of residential fees.
• No visible digital resources: The newly introduced digital resource fee has been questioned because many campuses do not yet have functional digital learning infrastructure. Trainees report limited or no campus Wi-Fi, inadequate computer labs, and no centrally provided digital materials that would reasonably justify this charge.
• Affordability: With rising living costs, the added fees increase financial strain on prospective and current teacher trainees, potentially affecting access and completion rates.

Calls for review and transparency

There are growing calls for the relevant authorities and stakeholders to:

• Provide a clear breakdown of the new charges and how collected funds will be spent;
• Ensure that any fee increases are directly linked to visible improvements in housing, learning materials, or digital services;
• Engage trainee representatives in consultations to explore less burdensome options or phased implementations.

As debate continues, trainees and civil society groups are urging swift clarification to avoid further uncertainty ahead of the new academic year.