Three pre-tertiary education unions have issued a September 30 ultimatum to government to address challenges impeding effective teaching and learning in schools.
Amongst the challenges are lack of teaching and learning resources, increased contact and working hours of teachers without compensation, slow pace in upgrading of teachers, absence of responsibility allowance, teachers’ promotion crisis, refusal to appoint teachers in the offices as Heads and Assistant Heads, transfer of teachers in special schools and signing of performance contract.
Without disclosing their next action if government fails to meet the deadline, the groups including the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT-GH), said “we will advise ourselves in the best interest of our members within the framework of our Collective Agreement and the applicable laws of Ghana.”
Addressing a press conference in Accra yesterday, Thomas Tanko Musah, General Secretary of GNAT, who read a joint statement, demanded that government immediately address their concerns to avert any catastrophe.
Despite threat of the spread of COVID-19, he said government has not provided all the needed facilities and materials for pre-tertiary institutions to operate safely as some authorities have claimed.
He cited the absence of modern aids teaching and learning in schools, saying “there are no textbooks, school environment is not conducive for learning, classes are overcrowded, the payment of capitation grant and administrative resources are delayed among others”.
Mr Musah said the hours teachers were required to work per day and per week as enshrined in the Collective Agreement has been increased by the Ghana Education Service (GES) without prior notice from their end or compensation to make up for the affected teachers.
The General Secretary bemoaned the slow pace at which the Ghana Education Service (GES) handled issues pertaining to the upgrading of teachers who on their own financed themselves to acquire degrees and those who have completed their study leave with pay.
“Teachers who financed their education in order to acquire degrees have not been paid on the effective dates they were upgraded. The disturbing issue is that some were given three months arrears while majority received nothing,” he added.
On the issue of responsibility allowance, Mr Musah said teachers who held various positions before being promoted to other ranks had not had their allowances restored despite several efforts by the affected teachers.
BENEDICTA GYIMAAH FOLLEY AND BELINDA A. AMOSA
