Three Teacher Unions, namely Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT-GH) and the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) have embarked on peaceful demonstration in the Eastern Region.
The teacher unions have battled over the unpaid allowances for the past fifteen (15) years.
The unions have given the Employer (Government) up to May 31, 2024, to address their concerns.
They expressed in strongest terms that, if the government fails to address their demands on or before May 31, 2024, then they shall call on leadership to take decisive action in the interest of members.
Many teachers have marched on the streets of Koforidua to the regional minister’s office to hand over their petition.
The Eastern Regional Chairman of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Patrick Boisen has stated that the demonstration is in line with Ghana’s vision to achieve its anticipated educational objectives which is hinged on the Sustainable Development Goal 4, in which teachers play a pivotal role.
Mr Patrick Boisen explained that teachers help shape and determine the outcomes of the learning processes, and ensure, in effect, the success of the educational system.
Speaking to press at the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council in Koforidua, Mr Patrick Boisen announced that since the negotiation of their Collective Agreement in 2009 and after the 2020 Collective Agreement, the government has failed to implement the allowances agreed on, as well as fulfil promises given.
He said that the teacher unions are demanding four allowances to its members which includes deprived area allowance, the extra assessment allowance, book, data and online teaching support allowance, and upward adjustment of the continuous professional allowance (CPD) allowance.
Mr Patrick Boisen demoaned that their members are complaining bitterly and complaints have become worse, especially as their members are reeling under the utter hardship imposed on them all by the current economic conditions in the country.
Mr John A. Donkor, the Eastern Regional Coordinating Director who received the petition by the unions on behalf of Eastern Regional Minister, Hon. Seth Kwame Acheampong assured that they will submit their petition to the appropriate quarters for redress.
The Eastern Regional Director of Education, Mrs Ivy Asantewaa Owusu reassured the three teacher unions that the Regional Minister will ensure that their grievances will get the necessary attention.
As the government is working around to fulfil the promises by the union, the Director of Education charged them to carry out their duties as teachers as.
Read the petition below
PETITION PRESENTED TO THE HONOURABLE REGIONAL MINISTER,
EASTERN REGION
BY THE TEACHER UNIONS IN THE PRE-TERTIARY EDUCATION,
EASTERN REGION
BY GNAT, NAGRAT, AND CCT-GH.
Ladies and gentlemen of the press, thank you for joining us once again. Your presence here signifies your commitment to covering issues that matter to our community.
We are gathered today to present a petition that addresses issues concerning teachers. This petition represents the voice of Teacher Unions and individuals who share our concerns and aspirations for teachers’ welfare.
Honourable Minister, the presentation of this petition is for reasons very simple but equally important not only to us as teachers but the collective interest of all stakeholders in education delivery in Ghana.
We wish to reiterate that, in Ghana’s quest to achieve its anticipated educational objectives which is hinged on the SDG goal 4, the teacher plays a pivotal role. The teacher, perhaps more than anybody else, shapes and determines the outcomes of the learning processes, and ensures, in effect, the success of the educational system.
Honourable Minister, it will interest you to know that since the negotiation of our Collective Agreement in 2009 and after the 2020 Collective Agreement, the Unions have known no peace, owing to the
Government’s continued failure to implement the allowances agreed on, as well as fulfil promises given.
Honourable, the allowances we have been battling over the past fifteen (15) years and counting are seventeen.
However, due to several considerations, we have reduced them to four. These are:
- The Deprived Area allowance.
- The Extra Assessment allowance.
- The Book/Data/Online Teaching support allowance, and
- Upward Adjustment of the CPD Allowance.
Despite this gesture of good faith from the Unions at the current negotiations, the government is still adamant and has demonstrated bad faith.
This has oftentimes culminated in high level despondency and disaffection for leadership and the ongoing negotiations is not an exception.
We have had to hang on the thin line, with our members complaining bitterly. These complaints have become worse, especially as our members are reeling under the utter hardship imposed on us all by the current economic conditions in the country.
We wish to emphasize that the last 24 months have been the most tortuous for the
Ghanaian Teacher, with no ray of hope of relief initiated by the Employer.
Honourable Minister, pursuant to the above, our demand is a call on the Employer, once again, to honour its promises and commitment to our teachers by addressing our concerns over the allowances enumerated above.
We wish to stress that we have had enough of the nonchalance, complacency, and aloofness of the Employer, and would thus not countenance this situation any longer because the Ghanaian teacher also deserves better.
Consequently, we are giving the Employer up to May 31, 2024, to address our concerns. We wish to state in strongest terms that, should the Employer fail to address our demands on or before May 31, 2024, then we shall call on leadership to take a decisive action in the interest of members.
PETER D. KPAKPO-ATSEM,
REGIONAL SECRETARY, GNAT
………………………………..
GODWIN AWOONOR-YEVU,
REGIONAL CHAIRMAN, NAGRAT
……………………………..
COLLINS AMPATE,
REGIONAL CHAIRMAN, CCT-GH
……………………………….. Dated May 15, 2024
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Solomon Nartey
