The three pre-tertiary teacher unions have given the government until September 16 to fulfill its promises regarding improved conditions of service outlined in a collective agreement signed four months ago.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT-Ghana) said their members were agitated by the government’s lack of response.
In a joint statement issued by the union leaders in Accra yesterday, they warned that if they did not receive a favourable response by the given deadline, their next steps might have consequences on industrial peace.
“We call on the Ghana Education Service (GES) and Ministry of Education and all the duty bearers to act swiftly to save the precarious and difficult situation currently confronting teachers by the close of Monday, September 16, 2024. If by the close of the said date we do not receive any favourable response, we shall determine the next line of action,” the statement read.
The statement was signed by the General Secretary of GNAT, Thomas T. Musah, the President of NAGRAT, Angel Cabonu; and the President of CCT-Ghana, King Ali Awudu.
It said that the collective agreement signed on May 24, 2024, included provisions for the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, to initiate discussions on the Deprived Area Allowance within one month of the agreement’s signing.
It also specified that promotions from Deputy Director (DD) to Director H (DI) and from Director (DI) to a higher rank were to be resolved by September 2024.
Additionally, the Ghana Education Service (GES) was expected to work with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to address salary discrepancies among DDs and lower ranks within GES.
The statement said the government agreed to honour its promise made to the National Labour Commission (NLC) to deliver TM laptops by the new deadline of August 31, 2024 and ensure that every teacher whose money was deducted would receive their laptop to maintain industrial peace.
The statement also highlighted what it described as major challenges including, 12 months of arrears for Tier-2 deductions.
It said despite President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s earlier directive to Public Services Commission (PSC) to exclude GES from deductions due to historical problems, the GES and PSC had reduced the deductions.
It said the challenges this time had worsen, including delays in promotions, difficulties in reinstatement, and rank reductions.
The statement said the union had “observed with great concern the uneasy calm and agitations by teachers owing to the display of lukewarm attitude to the directives by the NLC and the feet dragging by government on the concerns of teachers which has culminated into serious anger and agitations at the grassroots.”
BY TIMES REPORTER
