The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has raised alarms over the growing trend of violent clashes among senior high school students, suggesting that military presence on campuses may become necessary to restore discipline.
This comes in the wake of a series of violent confrontations involving students wielding dangerous weapons, including cutlasses and locally manufactured pistols. The escalating chaos has reignited discussions on discipline and moral values within Ghana’s educational system.
Speaking to Citi News, GNAT General Secretary, Thomas Tanko Musah, expressed grave concern about the worsening indiscipline, attributing it to a broader societal decline in respect and accountability. He warned that unless authorities take immediate action, extreme measures such as setting up military barracks within schools might be the only way to maintain order.
“If care is not taken in the coming days like I have said, we may have to establish military barracks on our campuses so that they will help to maintain law and order,” Musah cautioned.
He further stressed the need for stricter enforcement of discipline, lamenting that students involved in violent and criminal acts often face no consequences for their actions.
“That is where we are heading towards. We may need to employ more military men since the students are now coming with weapons, we might need to employ the military people so that we create military barracks on all the campuses so that when the students pull out their weapons, the soldiers will also pull their weapons, then they will square it up there.”
General Secretary of theGhana National Association of Teachers (GNAT),Thomas Musah, has voiced serious concerns about the decline in moral values and discipline within Ghanaian schools.
His remarks follow the circulation of a disturbing viral video showing an Accra Academy Senior High School student violently lashing two of his classmates with a cutlass.
The video has sparked national outrage and renewed discussions about the state of discipline and character formation in educational institutions across the country.
In an interview on Channel One Newsroom on Sunday, February 2, Musah condemned the growing disregard for moral principles and self-discipline among students, warning that this worrying trend could have far-reaching consequences if not addressed promptly.
“As a nation, character and conscience, we have lost it. We are now training people with knowledge, but for their character and conscience, we have lost it. If care is not taken, we will all be in trouble in the coming years. This is something that policymakers must take a serious look at,” he stated.
Musah linked the decline in discipline to the erosion of authority in schools, highlighting how the influence of headteachers and teachers in upholding order has significantly weakened.
He reminisced about an era when headteachers had the power to enforce strict disciplinary measures, and parents worked closely with schools to address and correct their children’s behavior.
“When I was in elementary school, the headteacher was so empowered that no student could misbehave in the school. Parents could even come into the schools and report their wards to the teachers. Teachers, at the time, were empowered.
“Today, teachers have been disabled. There are instances where when things happen at the school, the children will go and inform their parents, and they will come to the school and beat up the teacher. So, when things happen, the teachers cannot talk because when they do, either the students or the parents will come after you,” he explained.
The Musah emphasized the need for a collective effort to restore discipline and moral values in schools. He called for the empowerment of headteachers and school administrators to enable them to enforce rules and maintain order effectively.
“It looks like nobody cares, and we are saying that it is free for all. The earlier we come together and empower the headteachers and school administrators like it used to be, the better for all of us,” he stated.
Thomas Musah, the General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), has reaffirmed the commitment of Organised Labour, particularly GNAT, to move forward with the planned strike against illegal and irresponsible mining on October 10.
In an exclusive interview with Citi News’ Jude Duncan in Accra on Friday, Musah emphasised that the decision to proceed with the industrial action remains firm, despite a recent meeting between Organised Labour and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
During the meeting on October 3, President Akufo-Addo urged the leadership of Organised Labour to exercise patience as the government seeks a lasting solution to the galamsey crisis.
However, Musah clarified that Organised Labour continues to stand by its demands.
These include declaring a state of emergency in mining regions, revoking the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations 2022, withdrawing all licences issued for mining in forest reserves and protected areas, and establishing special courts to prosecute illegal mining offenders.
Musah, who was not present at the meeting, reiterated that the group remains unified in its stance on addressing the challenges posed by illegal mining.
“What’s the definition of more time, With the people dying, what will happen to them? It is for us to make a decision, it is between life and death.”
“Organised Labour, we have all agreed and that is what GNAT is standing by; we agree that there should be a state of emergency on illegal mining. [We still stand by] the decision of Organised Labour on the protest,” he said.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has criticized the five-member ad hoc ministerial committee set up by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to evaluate and address illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, as ineffective from the outset.
During an appearance on Channel One TV’s ‘I Stand Against Galamsey’ campaign, GNAT’s General Secretary, Thomas Musah, expressed skepticism, stating that the committee is unlikely to offer any fresh solutions in the battle against galamsey.
GNAT’s General Secretary, Thomas Musah, voiced his concerns during an appearance on Channel One TV’s ‘I Stand Against Galamsey’ campaign.
He argued that the committee, led by National Security Minister Albert Kan-Dapaah and supported by four other ministers, lacks the capacity to offer new solutions to the galamsey problem.
President Akufo-Addo appointed the committee on Friday, September 13, 2024. However, GNAT believes that the members, many of whom are also running in the upcoming December 7 elections, will be too occupied to make a meaningful impact on the issue.
“The constitution of the new committee by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is dead on arrival because the only new person there is the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations and these ministers will soon go and contest in their various constituencies and there is no way they will get time to get this thing done.
“In any case, the promise [to end galamsey] was made by the president and not ministers and we have gone past this stage already and therefore the invitation by the committee for us to meet them on Tuesday is a non-starter and we are asking that a state of emergency must be declared given the evidence that we have.”
GNAT also made five demands, including the following;
1. Immediately declare a state of emergency.
2. Evacuate all mining equipment from forest reserves and water bodies.
3. Revoke Law 2462 and withdraw all mining and prospecting licenses in forests, protected reserves, and water bodies.
4. Deploy Police and Military to remove and destroy all mining and earth-moving equipment in river bodies and forest reserves.
5. Establish a special court to prosecute those involved in illegal mining (Galamsey).
On Wednesday, September 12, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) vice-presidential candidate, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, generously donated GHC50,000 to the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) Cancer Foundation.
The donation is part of an ongoing effort by the Foundation to secure funds for cancer treatment for teachers and their families.
The GNAT Cancer Foundation has raised concerns about the increasing number of cancer cases among teachers and their relatives, compounded by the high cost of treatment that many cannot afford. Prof. Opoku-Agyemang’s donation aims to address this urgent need and support those affected.
During the donation event at the Foundation’s offices in Accra, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang presented a banker’s draft and commended GNAT for its initiative in providing aid to its members battling cancer.
She emphasized the financial burden of cancer treatment and expressed her hope that her contribution will help raise awareness and encourage further support for the Foundation’s cause.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, as an advocate for education, stressed the importance of supporting teachers and their families in their fight against cancer and urged others to contribute to this vital cause.
“I want to appeal to the public that a fund like this has been set up. It doesn’t matter how big or small it is, and I am also appealing to all the unions to come on board. Regardless of how you grow up to become, regardless of the profession you follow, you would have gone through school, and I will urge all to show empathy to support this initiative”, she appealed.
Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, expressed optimism that the GNAT Cancer Foundation’s fund will expand into a national resource, offering support to individuals across various professions.
She encouraged the Foundation’s leadership to focus on increasing awareness about preventive care as part of their initiatives.
In response, Mr. Christian Yaw Adinkra, chairman of the GNAT Cancer Foundation’s fundraising committee, praised Prof. Opoku-Agyemang for her generous contribution and called on others to follow her lead.
Additionally, Hon. Mohammed Adamu Ramadan, Member of Parliament for Adentan, also contributed personally during the same event.
General Secretary of theGhana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), in a shocking revelation, highlighted the devastating effects of illegal mining, or “galamsey,” on Ghanaian children.
He revealed that 21% of children aged 5-17 are engaged in child labour, with 14% involved in hazardous activities.
The destruction of water sources due to galamsey has forced children to trek long distances in search of clean water, disrupting their education.
The contaminated water not only endangers their health but also exacerbates the cycle of poverty, stunting their mental development and pushing more children into labour.
As illegal mining destroys the environment, it’s also robbing Ghana of its future by increasing school dropouts, with children forced to choose between education and survival.
Musah called on the government to declare galamsey a national emergency by the end of September. Should the government fail to act, GNAT has warned of strikes that could severely impact the education system.
Musah emphasised that the crisis, particularly the pollution of water bodies, can no longer be ignored, and immediate action is needed to prevent long-term damage to the nation’s youth.
The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Thomas Musah Tanko, has attributed the rise of misconduct and violence in certain Ghanaian schools to the stringent measures imposed on teachers.
His comment follows a recent incident on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, that occurred at the O’Reilly Senior High School (SHS), where an 18-year-old final year student, Edward Sackey was stabbed to death by a colleague during a fisticuff over family wealth accumulation.
Eyewitnesses who engaged the media reported that there were no interventions by school authorities when the two students got into a physical confrontation.
But speaking to the media on Wednesday, September 5, 2024, in reaction to the murder case, Mr Tanko indicated that the no corporal punishment directive by the GES has hindered teachers’ ability to discipline problematic students effectively.
He noted that the fear of being stripped of their positions might have compelled the teachers to tolerate unruly behaviour, allowing such students to go unchecked. He referenced an instance where teachers who once attempted to address such acts of indiscipline were physically attacked by the students’ parents.
“There are several instances where parents have attacked teachers physically for correcting their wards. So we’ve also told the teachers not to hold canes in school. The school environment is now becoming complicated. It is because of how teachers are being treated currently,” he said.
Mr Tanko added that “It is the fault of the GES. Teachers are now on the fence because if they try to discipline the students in an unapproved manner, they will get suspended so they are all being careful.”
In 2017, the Ghana Education Service (GES), instructed teachers to desist from using corporal punishments on students and pupils.
The Public Relations Officer of the Service explained that flogging students with canes and similar forms of discipline are not the only methods available for managing student misbehaviour.
“Any form of corporal punishment which will inflict pains, we said our teachers should not use canes in disciplining our children, they should not. GES has stated that we will not support any teacher who uses canes in our schools should something occurs, they must and should not, I mean trained and professional teachers use canes that is not the only way of correcting or disciplining students”.
Some Ghanaian citizens have shared the same sentiment with the General Secretary of GNAT.
Taking to the X platform formerly known as Twitter, citizens shared their views on the murder incident at O’Reilly SHS, arguing that SHS teachers have been stripped of their power to sanction students who engage in unacceptable actions.
Hence, teachers are unable to enforce effective measures to address and straighten student misconduct.
“GES has taken all disciplinary powers from the teachers. Based on what will they intervene only to be punished by GES after? A useful lesson…No, the new GES rules have forbidden any form of discipline against students by the teachers. If you want to punish, you must write a letter through your head to the District Director and to the Regional Director, justifying why you want to punish and get approval in writing before you can,” a user, @ProfBaidoo1, wrote.
“Teachers have been rendered powerless and useless giving these kids the audacity to behave anyway they can. I mean what’s the country turning into?” a user, @fixondennis, quizzed.
General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Musah Tanko, says because teachers have become handicapped when it comes to character moulding of students, they have been advised not to hold or use canes on students but only advise students, hence the rise in indiscipline in our schools. OnuaFM YɛnNsɛmpa
In the meantime, the GES has conveyed its profound sadness over the tragic event as well as offered heartfelt condolences to the grieving family, friends, and the entire school community.
The GES has assured that it will work closely with the relevant authorities to ensure a thorough investigation. The suspect is being arraigned before court and charged provisionally with murder.
In a statement signed by the Head of Public Relations, Cassandra Twum Ampofo, the Service noted “We hope to conclude our administrative investigations within two weeks while the Police Service handles the criminal investigation. We are pleased to report that calm has been restored on the campus, and we are working to ensure the well-being and safety of all students and staff”.
It added “GES remains committed to providing a secure and conducive learning environment for all students,” the statement continued. We will continue to work tirelessly to prevent such incidents and ensure our schools remain safe spaces for academic excellence.”
Speaking on Joy FM’s Midday News on Monday, August 19, Musah highlighted that the government had pledged to provide affordable housing for teachers in 2022.
However, two years later, this promise remains unfulfilled, even as the government renews the same commitment.
He emphasized that the government should focus on honoring its previous commitments rather than making new promises.
“We’ve been here before and I think that we cannot easily progress without looking at what had happened in history.
Two years back, we engaged the government and they promised us that they were going to ensure that we get affordable housing.
“When you look at the budget statement, page 105 and paragraph 589 it is there that government will engage the teacher unions specifically NAGRAT to ensure that affordable housing is put in place .. so this is a nice opportunity to give a reminder,” he said.
Mr. Musah also urged the government to expedite action on other promises, such as promoting teachers from the rank of Deputy Director to Director 2 and 1, addressing issues faced by teachers in deprived areas, and delivering on the “laptop per teacher” initiative.
His comments come in response to a recent pledge by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who during the unveiling of the party’s 2024 electioneering campaign manifesto, promised to offer incentives for teachers to purchase vehicles with engine capacities of up to 1,800CC.
While Mr. Musah acknowledged the importance of this initiative—noting that teachers had benefited from similar incentives in the past—he stressed the need for the government to fulfill previous promises before making new ones.
“…But as I said, the other ones they have promised and haven’t been delivered, we are asking of it and we want them to speak to those issues for us.”
Additionally, Mr. Musah called for the establishment of a pre-education funding act to ensure sustained financing for public education, pointing out that basic education in Ghana is currently facing significant challenges.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has called on its members to remain calm amid ongoing protests over delays in finalizing their conditions of service agreements with the government.
Despite government efforts to address issues such as the scheme of service, teachers remain discontented due to unresolved concerns about allowances and other benefits.
In an interview with Citi News, GNAT General Secretary Thomas Musah expressed optimism, indicating that negotiations are progressing well and an agreement is expected soon.
“We want to assure them that the negotiations are ongoing. We are still engaging the government; it has not broken down yet, so we want them to be reassured that we are working around the clock together with the government to ensure that the agreement is concluded as soon as possible.”
Teachers have issued multiple ultimatums and staged numerous protests nationwide to pressure the government into paying their allowances.
GNAT, the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) have been leading these demands.
Although recognizing progress in negotiations, GNAT has urged the government to proactively address their concerns.
“When the whole thing started from the labour commission, we had six items. Three were addressed instantly. The OSP matter was addressed, and the scheme of service matter was also addressed because they were told to provide us with the scheme of service by April. From there, other changes have been made.”
The leadership of three pre-tertiary teacher unions in the Greater Accra Region has issued a deadline to the government, demanding a resolution to their conditions of service by May 13, 2024.
These unions, including the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT), are dissatisfied with the government’s negotiating approach on issues such as deprived area allowances and adjustments to continuous development allowances.
The Regional Secretary of GNAT, Peter Boateng, emphasized the escalating tensions within the labour sector and urged the government to take prompt action to avoid disruptions.
“If the government is negotiating with the IMF for the second tranche, for us as teacher unions, what we need to get from the government is what we are fighting for our members. The government has got its priority and we the teachers have also got our priorities. Our priority must be set and we are hoping that the government will just heed and approve what our leadership has been demanding.
“As you know, the kind of taxes they take from our salaries is not small and therefore the government can just get the revenue it needs from the teachers and other workers in the country to pay off the other allowances that we are demanding.
“You will realise that from the press conference, we were demanding seventeen different kinds of allowances but we thought it is wise that for the economic hardship that we are all in we have reduced it to four. That is what the officer enumerated for the public to hear. So, for me whatever that the teachers are demanding it’s the right thing,” he stated.
Amidst ongoing discussions surrounding educational initiatives in Ghana, members of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) have voiced their discontent, labeling government priorities as misdirected.
Speaking to the media, a representative of the association highlighted concerns over recent announcements regarding the distribution of tablets to students.
On Monday, March 25, 2024, the government launched the Ghana Smart School Project, aimed at providing 1.3 million tablets to students in public Senior High Schools and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
However, speaking to the media, the spokesperson of the group indicated that while providing students with tablets might seem beneficial, the move neglects the critical needs of tutors.
According to her it is an insult to teachers for government prioritize tablets for students when many educators themselves lack essential tools like laptops.
She that if the government truly had its priorities in order, it would address the pressing needs within the education sector.
She quizzed why government will provide tablets to schools when some schools lack basic amenities such as reliable electricity.
Additionally, promises of Wi-Fi access made by the government have yet to materialize, leaving uncertainties regarding how students would utilize internet-enabled devices.
As the government rolls out the Ghana Smart School Project to distribute 1.3 million tablets to public Senior High School and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students, teacher unions are highlighting the government’s failure to fulfill its promises under the 1 Teacher 1 Laptop project.
During an appearance on JoyNews’ PM Express, President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers, Rev. Isaac Owusu, explained that the ongoing strike by public school teachers, which started last Wednesday, is a result of over 100,000 teachers not receiving the laptops they were promised and have been deducted for since 2021.
Rev. Isaac Owusu responded to criticism of the strike by the CEO of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), Ben Arthur, stating, “Engineer [Fair Wages CEO] has been attacking us at every opportunity since Wednesday when we declared the strike.”
“When it comes to the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, the unions have raised five solid issues, and each of the issues is very important and dear to the teacher we’re representing. Regarding the issue concerning the laptop, the contract says that within 12 calendar months; that is from January 2021 to December 2021, the supplier should have finished the distribution and we are in 2024. More than 100,000 teachers have not received the laptop, and what is the engineer talking about?” he fumed.
As of December 2021, the Ghana Education Service (GES) reported that approximately 80% of the 62,000 laptops allocated for teachers in Senior High Schools had been distributed in the first phase of the project.
President Akufo-Addo, speaking at the launch of the Ghana Smart Schools Project aimed at providing smart tablets for SHS students, stated that the Ministry of Education had already distributed 200,000 laptops to teachers in pre-tertiary institutions nationwide.
On March 20, the three major teacher unions – the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Ghana National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT-GH) – declared a strike due to unsatisfactory conditions of service. They cited the government’s failure to renew their collective agreement, which expired in 2023, among other concerns.
Despite efforts to engage the government in negotiations, the unions claimed that the government had not shown willingness to address their grievances, leading them to resort to industrial action.
The CEO of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) criticized the unions for declaring the strike without following due process and for not adhering to an order by the National Labour Commission to call off the strike. He also expressed disappointment that the unions did not attend a meeting called by the FWSC and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations.
“There are procedures, there are provisions as to what must happen before you can really embark on a strike. You failed to notify the employer, Fair Wages was not in the know, and what was statutory of you to notify the National Labour Commission was also not done, and then all of a sudden we’re ambushed.”
The President of GNAT affirmed to host Evans Mensah that teachers would remain on strike until all their demands are met, regardless of any criticism directed at them. This statement came in response to remarks made by the CEO of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission during the show regarding their ongoing strike.
“The collective agreement, before the 2020 one that we signed, we were having 2009 collective agreement and we used it from 2009 to the year 2020. I want Engineer [FWSC CEO] to understand that, yes, you’re under the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, but you’re not the employer of the teacher. The law says that if we want to embark on industrial action we should notify the employer. Engineer, are you the Director-General for GES? Evans, we wrote two separate letters on the 29th of February and in those letters, the NLC was duly notified.”
“The teachers of today are not the teachers of yesterday. The teachers of today are demanding results from leadership, and that’s what we are doing. We don’t have any ill motives and nobody is behind us,” he noted, in response to Mr Ben Arthur’s query to know what their true motivation for the strike is.
He mentioned that they have a meeting scheduled with the National Labour Commission on Tuesday, March 26, to address the same issues.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) is poised to unveil its policy recommendations intended to guide political parties in formulating their manifestos for the upcoming general elections.
This proactive approach aims to ensure the effective integration of GNAT members’ needs into the political agendas of various parties.
In an interview with Citi News in Accra, Thomas Musah, the General Secretary of GNAT, emphasized the departure from a reactive stance to a proactive role in presenting policy suggestions to political entities.
Mr Musah explained, “We have put a team together, and they are working on a policy document. This time, we do not want to go by the reactionary approach where a government official will speak, and then we would be called upon to respond. We also want to give them what we want and then put these things into your manifesto. We want to give them a particular document to factor into their manifesto,” he added.
The GNAT General Secretary highlighted the association’s commitment to safeguarding its members’ welfare by leading in the formulation of policy proposals. The aim is to ensure that the concerns of educators are given priority and adequately addressed in political party manifestos.
“Sovereignty resides in the people. It is in the interest of the people that you are there. For the welfare of our members, we are putting some documents together. So now when it comes to accountability and we are referring, we can also refer to the kind of demand we made on them,” Musah affirmed.
Assuring a timely release, he stated, “All things being equal, we are sure that by the close of this week, we should be able to communicate with the political parties.”
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has decided to lift the interdiction on Senior High School heads by the end of this week, following a closed-door meeting with representatives from the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and the Conference of Assisted Heads of Senior High Schools (CHASS) in Accra.
Thomas Musah, the General Secretary of GNAT, expressed gratitude for the GES’s responsiveness to their plea for the reinstatement of the affected heads.
In an interview with Accra100.5FM’s news team on Thursday, December 14, 2023, Mr. Musah commended the GES for its collaborative approach in addressing the concerns raised by GNAT and CHASS.
“This development suggests a positive outcome from the discussions, signalling the imminent reinstatement of the interdicted Senior High School heads,” he said.
The eleven interdicted headteachers include Mrs. Selina Anane Afoakwa, Headmistress of Kumasi Girls SHS; Mr. Nathaniel Asamoah, Headmaster of Asanteman SHS; Mr. Andrews Boateng, Headmaster of Kumasi Senior High Technical School; and Mr. Kwadwo Obeng-Appiah, Headmaster of Manso-Edubia SHS.
Others are Mr. Daniel Boamah Duku, Headmaster of Agric Nzema Community SHS; Ms. Gladys Sarfowah, Headmistress of Nkawie Senior High Technical School; and Mr. Ampong Ahmed Omar, Headmaster of Collins SHS.
According to the GES, these headteachers face accusations of imposing various unapproved fees, including house dues, books, calculators, admission process fees, and charges for printing slips, files, and hymn books on first-year SHS students.
This development follows similar interdictions of Mr. Afi Yaw Stephen, Headmaster of Berekum Senior High School, and Mr. Joseph Jilinjeh Abudu, Headmaster of Odomaseman Senior High School, as well as the Headmistress of the Ghana Senior High School (GHANASS), Patience Naki Mensah.
An executive of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Christian Adinkrah, has voiced discontent over the interdiction of certain senior high school headmasters who charged unauthorized fees.
Mr Adinkrah argues that such punitive actions serve as disincentives for school heads to proactively address challenges within their institutions.
“This action means heads shouldn’t take initiatives,” he said on the Ghana Tonight show on TV3 Monday December 11.
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has directed the removal of seven Senior High School headmasters in the Ashanti Region, including Kumasi Girls, Asanteman, Kumasi, Manso Adubia, Agric Nzema Community, Nkawie, and Collins Senior High School.
“It has come to the notice of Management the collection of unauthorised monies as part of the admission process,” a letter dated December 8, 2023 to the Headmasters read.
This action follows their collection of unauthorized fees during the admission process, encompassing charges for sewn anniversary cloth, house dues, book sales, calculator sales, and anniversary cloth sales, among other items.
The GES instructed them to promptly hand over all school properties to the Regional Director of Education for investigation, effective December 8, 2023.
“Based on the above and as the code of conduct stipulates, you are to step aside for investigation to be conducted. you are hereby directed to hand over all properties of the school with effect from 8th December, 2023 to the Regional Director of Education,” the GES directed.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has emphasized the need for practical actions to assist the communities affected by the overflow of the Akosombo and Kpong dams, rather than political statements.
Over 12,000 individuals in mainly the Volta Region have been displaced due to the dam spillage, which the teachers’ union described as a tragic, man-made situation.
In a statement, GNAT expressed concern about whether the downstream communities were adequately informed or educated about the potential consequences of the dam spillage and the necessary precautions.
The statement emphasized the urgency of providing immediate aid to the affected communities, given the economic challenges faced by Ghanaians in this era of austerity.
“The situation is quite tragic, more so when it is man-made. We, of GNAT, wonder whether the people lower stream the dam were educated or warned of the fate that awaited them arising out of the spillage and the steps to take so as not to be overwhelmed as is now the case.
“If this was not done, then this is unfortunate and we wonder how fellow compatriots will overcome it in this era of austerity and economic malice. It is a result of this that GNAT calls on the government and international bodies and agencies to go to the immediate aid of the affected communities and people, and save them from this unexpected calamity.
“If this was not done, then this is unfortunate and we wonder how fellow compatriots will overcome it in this era of austerity and economic malice. It is a result of this that GNAT calls on the government and international bodies and agencies to go to the immediate aid of the affected communities and people, and save them from this unexpected calamity.
GNAT called on the government and international organizations to step in and assist the affected communities and people in dealing with this unexpected calamity.
“This should not be the time for political statements but pragmatic steps to ease the people out of the pain and anguish they are going through.”This should not be the time for political statements but pragmatic steps to ease the people out of the pain and anguish they are going through,” he added.
GNAT equally backed a call for the declaration of a state of emergency in the affected areas, “since the circumstances under which a state of emergency could be declared — whether for natural or man-made disasters — is being experienced currently”.
A few days ago, President Akufo-Addo expressed his condolences to the thousands of displaced people in the Volta Region who have been affected by floods caused by the overflow of dams.
During his visit on Monday, October 16, 2023, the President met with traditional leaders and residents of Mepe, where he conveyed his sympathies regarding the disaster.
President Akufo-Addo explained that despite his absence from the country when the disaster occurred, he took immediate action to mobilize the government and formulate a strategy to provide assistance in the wake of the tragedy.
“When it happened, I was in America, on official business, when the Chief of Staff called me in America about what had happened, and we discussed what had to be done; so that is when we agreed to establish an Inter-Ministerial Committee to co-ordinate government’s response to this tragedy”, he noted, adding: “The co-ordination is about immediate, about tomorrow, and about tomorrow, tomorrow”.
Mr. Akufo-Addo said: “The most important thing was, first of all, to ensure the life of people”.
“That is why nine centres were established here in Mepe for all the displaced people”, he explained, indicating: “And all the people in these nine centres have been provided relief items by NADMO; and its NADMO’s intention to continue the exercise of providing relief items”.
“So, apart from what NADMO is doing, we have also to think about the future”, he said.
The president said he was aware that the people of the area were predominantly farmers.
The president acknowledged that the rivers that overflowed destroyed the many farms along their banks and announced that “one of the things that the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Finance, and the Office of the President is going to be working [on] with the District Assembly, is to decide exactly the nature of the support we have to give to you when the water has gone away, so nobody could do the farm”.
“This is why I am saying that the committee is working in several phases. One, immediate relief; and then tomorrow”, he added.
The president then pointed out that he was a president for all Ghanaians, thus, his intervention irrespective of politics.
“But I want you to know that the government is going to do everything in its powers to assist, to make sure that things are all right. I think everybody here, and I hope you take the message all across, North Tongu, South Tongu, Central Tongu, that when these things happen and government acts, politics does not come into the matter at all.”
“When I took the Oath of Office as President, I took the Oath of Office as President of every single individual in Ghana; of all peoples in Ghana, all districts, and whether they voted for me or not, once I have taken the oath, I am the President of all people. So Togbe, you and your elders, I want the people here, beginning with you and the elders to understand that when something like this happens and the government acts, government is acting for Ghanaians, all Ghanaians”, the president asserted.
He stressed: “I came here because Ghanaians are having difficulties and are suffering, and it is my responsibility to try and help. Because, if it is a question of counting who votes for me and who doesn’t vote for me, I shouldn’t be here, because you don’t vote for me, but that is not a concern, and in any event, one day you will vote for me and my party.”
“So, Togbe, I came here this afternoon, to express my sympathies and to commiserate with all the people of Mepe, and the area.”
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has issued a statement on August 3, urging candidates preparing for the 2023 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) to refrain from engaging in malpractices or any other misconduct that could hinder their aspirations.
In the message, GNAT encouraged the candidates to give their best effort to achieve success in the upcoming BECE.
They emphasized the importance of maintaining integrity and not indulging in any act that may tarnish their future prospects.
The statement expressed GNAT’s confidence in all the candidates and wished them the best of luck in their endeavors.
GNAT looks forward to welcoming them into the realm of higher education soon.
The 2023 BECE is scheduled to take place from Monday, August 7 to Friday, August 11, 2023.
A collaborative effort between the GNAT-Canada Teachers Federation and the FCE, has provided approximately 200 teachers from the Western and Western North Regions the opportunity to complete an in-service training programme.
The aim of the training was to enhance their abilities to deliver more effectively within the classroom setting.
During the training, the teachers received instruction in various subject areas, including class management, gender and culture, technology education, and inclusiveness.
The program coordinator, Mr. Ernest Asamoah, highlighted the longstanding partnership between GNAT-Canada, spanning an impressive 63 years of successful engagement and knowledge exchange.
He urged all teachers to utilize the acquired knowledge and share it with their colleagues, thereby contributing to the enhancement of quality education in their schools.
Furthermore, Mr. Asamoah emphasized that the training would provide the participating teachers with two additional points in their yearly assessment program, underscoring the importance of continuous professional development.
The Team Lead for Canada, Ms. Julia Degirolamo, recognized the significance of international projects as valuable tools for exchanging ideas and furthering global education objectives.
She, therefore, entreated the participants to use the new skills acquired to innovate change in the classroom…” leadership roles must well be seen from now”.
Mrs Sally Nelly Coleman, the Metro Director of Education praised GNAT for such projects and programmes which equipped the teacher to live up to his or her best.
She noted how the GNAT had contributed to her professional development and growth and encouraged the teachers to effectively take part in all its activities to improve their course.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has distributed 251 life jackets to educators stationed in various communities along the lake within the Oti Region.
This significant initiative aims to enhance the safety and well-being of teachers, equipping them with life-saving gear as they carry out their duties in proximity to the expansive body of water.
The initiative aims to enforce a vital safety precaution for teachers traveling to their schools across the lake on a daily basis.
General Secretary of GNAT, Thomas Musah, in an interview emphasized that the allocation of life jackets would benefit teachers in approximately 36 community basic schools in the Krachi East and West districts of the region.
He stated, “it is crucial for teachers to wear life jackets during their daily trips across the lake to ensure their safety.”
This effort follows a previous distribution of life jackets in 2022, during which members expressed concerns about inadequate supplies.
Mr. Thomas Musah highlighted a recent incident in May where a teacher tragically drowned on the lake when the boat he was traveling on capsized while returning from school on Agamkope Island.
Teacher Prosper K Addo shared his near-death experience during a six-hour journey on the Volta Lake to an island community in the Krachi West District, recounting, “At the time, I wasn’t wearing a life jacket, meaning I would have needlessly lost my life.”
Ransford Appiah, Assistant Headteacher of Kudorkope D/A Primary School, also emphasized the risks teachers face while commuting across the lake from Dambai to Kudorkope on weekdays to fulfill their duty of providing quality education to deserving children.
Many teachers across the country endure similar ordeals, with some losing their lives due to the lack of protective gear.
To address the safety concerns of teachers commuting to riverine communities, GNAT has procured 251 life jackets, which will be distributed in the Krachi East and West Districts. GNAT National President, Rev Isaac Owusu, expressed his concern over the challenges faced by teachers in underserved communities, urging the government to take decisive action.
General Secretary Thomas Musah was alarmed to discover that “approximately half of the island communities in the Krachi East District lack schools,” questioning the government’s commitment to providing equal access to education.
The distribution of life jackets will extend to other high-risk areas where teachers work, including parts of the Ashanti, Eastern, and Greater Accra Regions, aiming to protect teachers who cross water bodies like the Volta Lake daily to fulfill their teaching responsibilities.
In a proactive move to address the concerning frequency of teacher drownings in the Volta Lake, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has provided 251 life jackets to teachers stationed in communities along the lake in the Oti Region.
The initiative aims to enforce a vital safety precaution for teachers traveling to their schools across the lake on a daily basis.
General Secretary of GNAT, Thomas Musah, in an interview with GhanaWeb, emphasized that the allocation of life jackets would benefit teachers in approximately 36 community basic schools in the Krachi East and West districts of the region.
He stated, “it is crucial for teachers to wear life jackets during their daily trips across the lake to ensure their safety.”
This effort follows a previous distribution of life jackets in 2022, during which members expressed concerns about inadequate supplies.
Mr. Thomas Musah highlighted a recent incident in May where a teacher tragically drowned on the lake when the boat he was traveling on capsized while returning from school on Agamkope Island.
Teacher Prosper K Addo shared his near-death experience during a six-hour journey on the Volta Lake to an island community in the Krachi West District, recounting, “At the time, I wasn’t wearing a life jacket, meaning I would have needlessly lost my life.”
Ransford Appiah, Assistant Headteacher of Kudorkope D/A Primary School, also emphasized the risks teachers face while commuting across the lake from Dambai to Kudorkope on weekdays to fulfill their duty of providing quality education to deserving children.
Many teachers across the country endure similar ordeals, with some losing their lives due to the lack of protective gear.
To address the safety concerns of teachers commuting to riverine communities, GNAT has procured 251 life jackets, which will be distributed in the Krachi East and West Districts. GNAT National President, Rev Isaac Owusu, expressed his concern over the challenges faced by teachers in underserved communities, urging the government to take decisive action.
General Secretary Thomas Musah was alarmed to discover that “approximately half of the island communities in the Krachi East District lack schools,” questioning the government’s commitment to providing equal access to education.
The distribution of life jackets will extend to other high-risk areas where teachers work, including parts of the Ashanti, Eastern, and Greater Accra Regions, aiming to protect teachers who cross water bodies like the Volta Lake daily to fulfill their teaching responsibilities.
The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers(GNAT), Thomas Musah, has emphasized the importance of identifying the loopholes that contributed to the mass failure in this year’s Teacher Licensure Examination.
He believes that addressing these issues is crucial to prevent similar problems from arising in the future.
He said this could be achieved by bringing all stakeholders together to have a national dialogue on the matter.
“This is a national crisis, and for us at GNAT, it is about time we have a national dialogue about this matter because we cannot leave this matter in the hands of the National Teaching Council alone,” he said.
“We believe that by bringing all stakeholders together and identifying the gaps, we will be able to find a lasting solution to this problem, and we will not be here again. By next year, we would have been able to solve the problem, even if not all of it, I believe that 60 to 70 percent would have been corrected.”
Mr. Musah noted that the results were very disturbing and signalled the need for urgent action to be taken.
In an interview with the media, Mr. Musah also expressed concern that if the situation was not addressed, it could affect the country’s human capital in the next 18 years.
He said the failure would make it impossible for the Ghana Education Service to employ the teachers, which could lead to teacher shortages.
“It also means that the over 6,000 who failed cannot be employed by the Ghana Education Service specifically, and it also raises concerns about investment because some of these teachers were sponsored by giving them trainee allowance, and they have failed,” he added.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has expressed concern over what it describes as unlawful interdiction of the headmaster of the Ghana Senior High School (GHANASCO).
GNAT has therefore asked the Ghana Education Service (GES) to immediately reinstate the interdicted headmaster of GHANASCO.
The Association says the interdiction was without merit as no investigation had been conducted into the issue at the time.
According to GNAT, the move by the GES has affected the confidence of the embattled headmaster, Mr Doughlas Haruna Yakubu.
GNAT General Secretary, Thomas Musah speaking in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM on April 18, lambasted GES for taking such a decision.
“Why should you in a rush go and issue a statement interdicting the person, putting the person in the public for ridicule? Do you know you have humiliated the head? You have broken his confidence and that, you don’t handle professionals like that.
The matter should have been investigated. GES should do the needful by reinstating the man and let’s move forward, he came to meet the matter he didn’t create it,” he said.
The GES has stated that it is conducting a probe into a video on social media showing some students of the school using toilet cubicles as dormitories.
According to a statement issued dated April 16, the Regional Director of Education has asked both the head and senior housemaster to step aside for a thorough investigation.
“The Headmaster and the Senior Housemaster have been directed to step aside to allow for further investigations into the matter by the Regional Director of Education and report back in two weeks,” the statement signed by the Head of the Public Relations Unit, Cassandra Twum Ampofo disclosed.
It has thus sent a fact-finding delegation to probe and ascertain the truth or otherwise of the allegation.
Meanwhile, the headmaster, Mr Doughlas Haruna Yakubu has dispelled the video footage depicting students sleeping in toilet cubicles as trumped-up.
Mr Yakubu said the school has enough space to accommodate its students and thus there is no reason for students to be kept in toilet cubicles.
In his estimation, the footage was taken with malicious intent to cause public disaffection for the school.
A reassessment of Senior High School(SHS) classification in Ghana has been demanded by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT).
According to the teacher union, the current placement challenge is due to the grading of the schools into various categories.
Currently, Senior High Schools inGhana are placed into categories ranging from A to D, depending on their academic performance.
However, GNAT believes the categorization must be reviewed to prevent associated challenges.
The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers, Thomas Musah speaking to Citi News said the classification creates the impression that some schools are not good enough.
“If you classify one school as A, another as B and another as C, it creates the impression that the C schools are not good, and I think we must do away with the grades A, B, C and D [categorization].”
Meanwhile, the Free SHS Secretariat has disclosed that it has resolved 99% of school placement issues at the GNAT resolution centre in Accra.
The secretariat, following the release of the schools for SHS 1 students set up resolution centres across the country to address outstanding challenges.
Some students have since brought to the attention of the secretariat issues of no placement, change of schools, residential status and gender issues.
Giving an update on work done so far, the Deputy Coordinator of the Free SHS secretariat, Nana Afrah Sika Mensah said the resolution centres will be open for six weeks to have all concerns addressed.
In order to put the “School Placement for Sale” scandal to rest, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) is urging the Education Ministryand GES to release the findings of its probe.
This follows the disclosure by the Public Relations Officer of the Education Ministry, Kwasi Kwarteng, that janitors and security personnel who were captured as middlemen in the investigative documentary by The Fourth Estate, are not employees of the Education Ministry, but that of the GNAT Hostel.
He made this revelation while contributing to discussions on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday, February 20.
But reacting to the claim, the General Secretary of GNAT, Thomas Musah, said the allegation by Mr Kwarteng that a staff of the Association was identified as one of the brains behind the unfortunate happening, is inaccurate.
GNAT insists that no staff of the Association was involved in the scandal.
“No GNAT staff was involved. Let Kwasi Kwarteng come and tell us, let him come and tell us,” he stressed in an audio aired on Joy FM’s Midday news on Wednesday.
According to him, the Education Ministry must reprimand Kwasi Kwarteng for peddling falsehood.
“We demand that the Minister together with the DG must reprimand him, he must be rebuked. It is becoming the hallmark of Kwasi Kwarteng,” he said.
“And this one, we want to tell the Ghana Education Service that should they keep quiet on this particular one, we as an organisation will give them a response,” he added.
Itwould be recalled that in January, a Fourth Estate‘s investigative piece uncovered some rot in the placement into senior high schools.
The investigation discovered that instead of the resolution centre serving as a spot to correct certain anomalies, it was turned into a marketplace where officials linked to the placement executed their trade through a network of intermediaries, mostly security guards and cleaners.
Even though only two individuals – the Education Minister and the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) – were the ones given access and passwords to approve protocol placement into Category A senior high schools, it has not stopped people from defrauding parents
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has appealed to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to make changes to the new academic calendar for schools released recently.
The Local Secretary for Kotobabi District, Gideon Pappoe, and the Chairman for Accra Metro West District of the Association, William Yitah, who have been speaking on Joy Prime’sPrime Morning indicated that there was no consultation before the changes.
The teachers, they said, got the information like everyone else after the calendar was published.
According to them, the current rest days for teachers are not adequate. Their concern is that it will cause a lot of stress and tiredness, thus reduce productivity in class.
Speaking to the host, Roselyn Felli, Mr. Pappoe said, “If you look at this calendar, the vacation is like ten or nine days. Was the strike the teachers had about the Director General legit? About him being a professional, an educationist or coming from another place. I believe a proper consultation should have been done because teachers are also stakeholders in education.”
“What goes on during vacation? Every good teacher sits down and does evaluations and analysis of each student. So at the end of the first term, I have to look at each student’s challenges and positives and know how to plan myself for the next term. Now, I have nine days to do that. You have a class of about 60 or 70, and you have nine days to do that. You also have to rest and spend time with the family. Are nine days enough? Are parents ready to take their kids back to school after nine days?” He quizzed.
He suggested that the previous 25 rest days, despite being less than a month, were a bit sufficient for the teachers.
He also opined that there could be more consultations concerning the amendments before their publication. He thinks there can be a two-year plan to gradually wipe off the new system.
“If it has to get to a point whereby we have to cut one term off to go by the system, it is done. It’s our education system; it can be structured in a way to fit in,” he said.
Adding his opinion to the teachers’ strike about the director-general issue, the Accra Metro West District Chairman of the Association indicated that “it’s not about his competence but the nature of the job that he’s tasked to do. He needs to have an in-depth knowledge of what really goes on in the GES.”
He cautioned the GES not to appoint people who are not professional educators to lead the sector.
As to whether the new calendar will help improve the students’ academics, he said, “It will have an untold hardship on even the children themselves.”
He further revealed that the pressure from GES is having a ripple effect on teachers, as most of them are facing health challenges and even death.
Although the Association is not against the reintroduction of the old academic calendar, they believe it can be done gradually instead of in a rush.
Even though the Association is not satisfied with the changes, Mr. Yitah said “they will manage it with pain” in order to help the students.
Meanwhile, the chairman has notified the public that the Association is putting measures in place to appeal to the GES to make changes to the new calendar.
According to the Deputy General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Kwame Dagbandow, teachers sent to rural regions should be guaranteed a transfer after their predetermined period of stay is up.
This is one of the ways to persuade instructors to accept posting to remote locations, according to Mr. Dagbandow, who is in head of Education and Professional Development at GNAT and spoke on Prime Morning on Tuesday.
According to him, certain rural locations are in really poor condition, and the surrounding atmosphere is not motivating enough for instructors to be assigned there. As a result, a policy should be in place that specifies a set amount of time for teachers to remain in rural areas.
The teachers might be sent to metropolitan regions when the time comes, he continued, making place for other people to be deployed to rural areas.
According to Mr. Dagbandow, this program might encourage instructors to accept positions in these rural locations, which would significantly increase their numbers.
“There are areas where you won’t believe that they climb on top of trees to be able to get (telephone) network, look at the risk involved, everybody has to stand at that one point before you can communicate to the outside community, that’s challenging.”
“We are saying that if we can have a policy of deploying teachers then we can say that, okay if you accept to be in this deprived area for about 2-3 years, we are moving you to a more developed area so that others could also go there,: he stated.
Mr Dagbandow said that he has never regretted entering into the teaching profession but urged the government and other stakeholders to invest more in it because there is a lot of work to be done.
This, he added, will help attract more individuals into the profession.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Tema Regional Branch, has stated that the new Junior High School (JHS) Two curriculum has not yet been introduced to schools in Tema and its surrounding area.
All basic schools in the Tema Metropolis, Tema West, Ashaiman, and the Kpone-Katamanso municipalities are yet to receive the JHS Two textbooks three weeks into the reopening of schools for the 2023 academic year.
The Chairman of GNAT, Tema, Mr Abednego Tettey Nuertey, in an interview with GNA, said the form two students were the first group to start the new curriculum.
He, therefore, urged the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to ensure that the books reach the schools to make teaching and learning effective.
“For now, teachers are using their own resources by searching on the internet for relevant information or the use of alternative books to guide their teaching, based on the syllabus,” he said.
He observed that the private schools mostly resorted to giving the pupils research topics to search on the internet based on the syllabus.
However, in the quest to research on the internet, the children would be exposed to unwanted materials, which often pop-up during searches, Mr Nuertey said.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), has organised a training programme for about 500 of its members due for promotion in the Volta Region.
The programme is to adequately prepare the teachers for their promotional examination to various ranks in their field of work.
It was organised by the Volta Regional GNAT Directorate.
The Volta Regional Vice Chairman, Ayuba Aguda, said the initiative which falls under GNAT’s Education and Professional Development agenda saw the training of qualified members in all the operative districts of the association.
He said the association would continue to give opportunities to members to build their capacity to meet up with the demands of the education sector.
The Ho Municipal Chairperson, Lois Tipong-Asare, said the beneficiaries are due for promotion to Principal Superintendent, Assistant Director II, Assistant Director I and Deputy Director.
She said the orientation is to equip the beneficiaries on what to expect in the promotional examinations and how to answer the questions correctly to enhance their performance.
“The association has the interest of the teacher at heart always and so we bring up programme that will benefit directly the teacher”, she stressed.
Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markinhas described as unjustified calls for the termination of the appointment of the newly appointed GES Director-General, Dr Eric Nkansah.
He says the teachers who have embarked on the industry action over Dr Nkansah’s dismissal are being unfair to both Dr Nkansah and students at the pre-tertiary level.
“Ambushing the future of young Ghanaians who are supposed to be in school with an unjustified strike. I think it is most unfair to Dr Nkansah to be receiving such attacks,” he added.
He, thus, has passionately appealed to the teachers to call off the strike and resume work.
“I would want to appeal to the union leadership, especially because of the kids, to look again within,” he said.
Meanwhile, an industrial action that commenced on Monday to protest Dr Nkansah’s appointment is ongoing.
This is after negotiations between pre-tertiary teacher unions and the Labour Ministry ended in a stalemate.
His appointment came barely 48 hours after the previous Director-General of the Service, Prof. Opoku-Amankwa was relieved of his duties.
Subsequently, some pre tertiary teacher unions, including the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers-Ghana (CCT-Gh), have called for the appointment to be revoked, over claims that he is unfit to hold that position since he is a banker and not an educationist.
They organised a press conference to declare their discontent over Dr Nkansah’s appointment and subsequently declared an industrial action that was to take effect from Friday, November 4, 2022.
The Labour Ministry, in an attempt to intervene, called for a meeting with the aggrieved teachers. After deliberations, however, they could not reach an agreement. The Unions requested time to consult the grassroot and meet with the Labour Ministry on Monday.
Making their case, the teacher unions argued that the director general’s position was the preserve of educationists and had been occupied by educationists since its creation in 1974 to date, adding that 17 director generals had been appointed to serve at the GES since then, with five of them being professors from academia known to have operated in the education space.
President of NAGRAT, Rev Isaac Owusu, representing the teachers, said the other Director-Generals were all higher officers of the GES even under military regimes, thus, the appointment of a banker instead of an educationist was a manifestation of the lack of confidence in teachers to manage their own affairs and disregard for an established scheme of service and progression within the GES.
“We have been compelled under the current circumstances to publicly communicate to Ghanaians our intention to go on strike, having reached the November 4 deadline we gave the government.”
“Consequently, we have decided to embark on a strike from today, Friday, November 4, 2022,” he said.
Additionally, they raised concern about the one-year contract extension given to Deputy Director General, Anthony Boateng, stressing their opposition to the said contract extension.
“We sounded a note of caution that we would vehemently and vigorously resist any attempt to bring him (Boateng) back into the system and that the consequences of any such attempt may be too dire to handle,” he emphasised, and that it finally cautioned that “should the government fail to heed our call, the leadership of the teacher unions would not be able to control the actions or inaction of their members.”
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has warned that if steps are not taken to remedy the incessant increase in transport fares, truancy among teachers and students will increase.
According to the Chairperson of the Madina-Adenta-Abokobi (MAA) GNAT District, Christian Yaw Adinkra, if the prices of items and services increase and the teacher’s salary remains the same, then a time will come that the classrooms will be half empty and some few teachers may be in school.
“From the way things are going, I foresee that in the coming days, the rate of truancy is going to go up on the part of students and teachers as well. For some time now you can see that some parents are struggling to give their wards transportation to school” he mentioned
Mr. Adinkra disclosed that it has become common to find classes half empty after break because the students don’t have enough money to pick a car home hence they have to set off early in order to get home on time.
He told Alfred Ocansey on 3FM Sunrise Morning Show that the current price hikes and high cost of living has rendered the 15% of cost of living allowance (COLA) insignificant and has brought untoward hardships on teachers and workers in general.
“As it stands now the salary of the teacher cannot sustain him or her for more than a week. The average teacher takes about one thousand eight hundred (GHS 1,800) whereas prices of food and everything the teacher lives on have skyrocketed including transport. It would be unfair to ask the teacher to come to school when he or she has no lorry fare” Yaw Adinkra stated.
The leader of the teachers’ union added that the food that is being fed to the students in school falls short in quantity and quality as well. A situation he claims is influencing some students to steal from their colleagues.
GNAT has further appealed to the government to suspend the tax component on teachers’ salaries as it is being done in other African countries such as Rwanda to ameliorate the living conditions of teachers.
Chairman Christian Yaw Adinkra again recommended a possible shift system for teachers so that the number of days a teacher attends school could be reduced as well as the transportation cost.
“Our salaries have been invaded by the dollar and swallowed by inflation, hence the teacher’s salary can’t sustain him or her for more than a week. The current economic hardship is creating inevitable truancy. Teachers are not regular school and students’ is worse, and those who are trying to be regular have to walk to a point before picking a car. The situation is dire and something needs to be done before it gets out of hand” He lamented.
The teacher union has warned of dire consequences should the newly appointed GES boss remain in office by 4 November.
Nkansah took over from Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, who was reassigned to the KNUST after serving as GES boss for nearly six years.
In a communique read to the press at its annual meeting on Sunday (30 October), GNAT described the latest appointment as unfortunate, stressing that the appointee is not an educationist.
The general secretary of GNAT Thomas Tanko Musah, who read the communique was also concerned about the contract extension for the deputy director general of the GES.
“The position of the director general of Ghana Education Service is the preserve of educationists and has since been occupied by educationists since its creation in the 1970s and remains as such even in military regimes.
“Council finds the replacement of Prof Opoku-Amankwa with Dr Eric Nkansah, a banker as unfortunate and untenable,” he said.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has raised concerns over the Ghana Education Service‘s unwillingness to promote teachers and association members to their designated ranks.
According to him, this delay has caused increased agitation among teachers, which could lead to labour unrest.
In a communique signed by the president of GNAT, Rev Issac Owusu, he said some of the agitations, aside from the promotion, also include “failure to supply laptops, allowances payment and opening of base pay negotiations among others.
“Some teachers who were promoted/upgraded since 2015 have not been placed on the right scale. Council finds this irritating and provocative, and with the potential of disturbing the peace on the education front. Council therefore calls on the Ministry of Education/GES to resolve this issue and all other matters relating to Lower Rank promotions by the end of December 2022.” The president stated
Aside from that, GNAT said the decision by the Ministry of Education to appoint a Director General of the GES, Dr. Eric Nkansah, who is not an educationist, sets a lousy precedent among hardworking teachers and educationists; they, therefore, called for the removal of the new GES boss before November 4, 2022.
“The position of Director-General of the Ghana Education Service is the preserve of Educationists, and has been occupied by Educationists since its creation in the 1970s, and remained as such, even under the military regimes. Council found the replacement of Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa with Dr Eric Nkansah, a Banker, as both unfortunate and untenable. In the circumstance, therefore, Council calls for the revocation and subsequent appointment of an Educationist to occupy that office by 4′ November 2022.”
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), wants authorities to end what it terms needless intimidation meted out to school heads who speak on challenges confronting their institutions.
GNAT says the intimidation is affecting teaching and learning in many Senior High Schools (SHS) across the country.
Speaking at the 60th Anniversary celebration of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Second Cycle Schools in Koforidua, the President of GNAT, Reverend Isaac Owusu said such practices must cease.
“When heads who are managers of the secondary schools want to speak on challenges, we see those in authorities attacking and intimidating them. The Minister is saying that, we should produce assertive students but the agony is we can not have tamed headteachers producing assertive students. We believe that, the era of intimidation is over.”
Recently, issues of food shortage, inadequate supply of teaching and learning materials and other challenges have hit second-cycle schools.
However, there have been concerns that school heads are being intimidated in order not to make public the operational difficulties facing the schools.
Some frustrated school heads who could not bear with the challenges and made comments in the media space were dealt with to prevent their colleagues from doing same.
The book also captures the social, cultural and economic values; facts that settle the indistinct and blurring stories about kente.
This translates into a much greater appreciation for the kente industry.
Titled “Kete/Kente- A Priceless gem of Ghana”, the 64-page book also provides an elaborate history of how the early weavers in Ghana, Gobtensed Kente Limited, have sustained the family Kente business since 1821 to date.
Written by Togbi Gobah Tengey Sedoh, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gobtensed Kente Limited, the book additionally tracks the strides of Kete/Kente from the 11th century in the Ancient Ghana Empire, detailing every developmental phase by putting together catalogued sources of information.
Some of the highlights of the book included; the step by step breakdown of the weaving process, names of kente and their meanings, kente weaving tools and terms, among others.
The book was launched last Sunday and it coincided with Togbi Gobah Tengey Sedoh’s 78th birthday celebration.
Appreciation
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Togbi Gobah Tengey Seddoh noted that it was time Ghanaians appreciated their own and what they brought to the table.
“It has become common that we don’t appreciate ourselves, what we have and stand for, this must stop. Let’s appreciate goodness, because Africa is one of the greatest species in the world,” he said.
Reading
He added that Ghanaians should cultivate the habit of documenting and reading what belonged to them.
“So, you read about the history book of Jews, among others, but do not read what is written about you, why? because we do not believe in what we have? this must stop, no one can tell our story better than ourselves. I thank you all for being with us and I know God will bless all of us and when he does, keep on blessing others closer to you,” he said.
A teacher
Trained as professional teacher at Amedzofe E.P Training College, Togbi Gobah Tengey Sedoh taught from 1968 to 1980 in various parts of the Volta Region and beyond before wearing the amour of an astute kente weaver.
He was elected as the District GNAT Secretary from 1972-79. Togbi Gobah Tengey Sedoh has travelled extensively in the United States of America giving lectures and exposition in universities on our cultural heritage and the history of kente weaving.
The family business, which spans more than 200 years with the late Liberty Yao (LY) Gobah being the first Managing Director, Wellington Gobah, Sylvanus Gobah, Alice Adjormadoh, David Gobah, Mary Gobah and Timothy Gobah as directors.
Political life
Apart from being a businessman, industrialist and philanthropist, Togbi Gobah Tengey Sedoh has had a stint with politics. He was once upon a time appointed Volta Regional Treasurer of Action Congress Party, led by Col. Bernasko.
The GNAT Hall’s Bediako Hall was filled with joy and laughter last Saturday as a cross-section of Ghanaians were thrilled with the captivating Nii Commey Handwriting Play dubbed: “SKIRTS & SUITS.”
The play which MTN Ghana sponsored and helped stage was performed to honour this year’s International Customer Service Week.
A night of immersive corporate stage dramedy was presented to thousands of theater enthusiasts by the storytelling hub Handwriting Communications.
The story of angels and demons, of customer experience, interlaced with spicy corporate nonsense, knee-slapping, untamed characters a touch of the feminine spirit and masculine ego.
The play focused primarily on what happens in an organization in regard to customer service.
The play is a standard depiction of the comings and goings in a conventional corporate setting, with strong customer service underpinnings.
In Skirts and Suits, the contemporary corporate office was the point of action of all the drama that happens daily, with an urban fusion of exciting characters occupying the roles of customers, employers, customer service people, and the entire workforce who interface with the organization.
The story clearly exposes the good, the bad, and the ugly that happen in a typical office. What is more thrilling is the chronicling of the contemporary corporate woman and the vicissitudes that stare at them: the opportunities, and the temptations, power, position, and romance.
It was a night for service providers, corporate Ghana, and all who are customers in one way or the other. Patrons are being entreated to be expectant of something unusual.
Nii Commey Handwriting has, over the years, plopped the seats of theatre lovers with his timeless plays such as “Romantic Nonsense”, “My Name is Romance,” and “Where Two or More Women are Gathered.”
Handwriting Communications is an indigenous storytelling hub based in Accra, dedicated to using experiential storytelling tools for communication, education, and entertainment.
President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Isaac Owusu, has disclosed that the intended crunch meeting with the government on Tuesday, July 12, over the payment of the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA), ended inconclusively.
According to Mr Isaac Owusu, the meeting ended abruptly after two striking unions, the Ghana National Association of Teachers and the National Association of Graduate Teachers, stormed out of the meeting over a disagreement with the government’s proposed terms for reconciliation.
 Mr Owusu, speaking to the media, noted that “what has happened today is very unfortunate. What we can say now is that our negotiations have come to an inconclusive end, and we are still on strike.”
Giving more insight on the turn of events, the President of theNAGRAT, Angel Carbonu, explained that the Government is demanding they end the strike before negotiation begins.
In his view, the government is not ready to negotiate and find a solution to the demands of striking teachers.
“They are indicating and asking us to call off our strike before negotiations begin,” so what it means is that the government side is not ready to continue negotiations unless the teachers’ unions call off their strike. They have held all organised labour hostage, and this is a betrayal of trust. The understanding we had is organised labour has been convened for us to find a solution to COLA, so since we are undesirable, we think before they even walk us out of the meeting, we are walking out of the meeting, “he explained.
Meanwhile, the government’s meeting with the aggrieved unions has been adjourned until further notice.
Speaking to the media, Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Bright Wereko-Brobbey, said the adjournment was due to the refusal of some labour unions to call off their strike before negotiations commence.
“We have had to adjourn the meeting because both parties; labour and government, think that we cannot do this while a party is on strike, so the agreement is that we are going off to talk to each other. They called off the strike, and we come again to meet,” he notedÂ
This is the second time negotiations between the teacher unions and the government have ended inconclusively.
Mr Peter Tetteh Korda, Public Relations Officer, Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), has commended the government for launching the “One Teacher, One Laptop” to aid effective teaching and learning in schools.
“The initiative is good and we welcome it because the way teachers teach has changed due to the outbreak of COVID-19,” he said.
He said the pandemic had to a large extent decreased the face to face learning in favour of the online platform, adding that the initiative would help teachers to be in line with the technological space and deliver as expected.
Mr Korda said the laptop would help the teachers to do research and prepare their lesson notes with the aim of improving learning outcomes.
“We as a teacher association are interested in any initiative that will enure to the benefit of members and the students as well, “he said.
He said the initiative would build the needed confidence among the teachers to give off their optimum best and also improve the performance of the students for national growth.
Mr Korda appealed to the teachers to make good use of the laptops, urging them to use it for the intended purposes to enhance teaching and learning in schools.
On September 3, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia unveiled the “One Teacher, One Laptop” programme at Saint Mary’s Senior High School (SHS) in Accra.
The Vice President symbolically presented four laptops to four teachers from Saint Mary’s Senior High School to begin the distribution of the laptops.
Under the programme, every teacher in the public school from Kindergarten to the SHS would receive a computer laptop.
The government will pay 70 per cent of the cost of the laptop while each teacher pays the remaining 30 per cent.
K A Technologies, a locally based ICT firm, is the manufacturer of the laptops.
The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Mr. Thomas T. Musah, has commended Education Minister, for introducing a one-year degree top-up programme for teachers with diploma certificates.
The GNAT General Secretary told the weekly journal run by the Colleges of Education that the move by Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh will improve teaching greatly.
“We want to say a very big thank you to the Honourable Minister for Education. He has done a great job in pushing this one-year top-up programme. Upon receipt of our letter on the issue, he acted swiftly, and here we are now,†he said.
Mr. Musah further extended his heartfelt appreciation to officials at the Institute of Education-University of Cape Coast, Ghana Education Service, Prof. Kwesi Yankah – Minister of State in-charge of Tertiary Education, Mr. Robin Todd, the T-TEL Lead, Prof. Mohammed Salifu and all those who played a vital role in making the initiative a success.
Mr. Musah also admonished all diploma holding teachers to get themselves enrolled in the one-year top-up programme.
He stressed that it is important for teachers to bear in mind that by 2022, their posteriors in College will graduate with degree and will be placed on the grade of Principal Superintendent.
“It is, therefore, prudent that all those with Diploma get enrolled now,” he emphasised.
The Institute of Education, University of Cape Coast on October 5, 2020, officially released the admission notice.
The admission notice indicated that the 3-Semester Bachelor of Education (Post-Diploma in Basic Education) Programmes in the sandwich mode is starting in the first semester of 2020/2021 Academic Year.
This is to give holders of Diploma in Basic Education (DBE) the opportunity to be upgraded to Bachelor’s degree.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a blended mode of instruction will be adopted (thus online and face-to-face approach).
Eligible students would be required to have a smartphone or tablet or any device that would allow them to connect to the internet.
Applicants will be enrolled automatically onto their choice of programme on completion of an online form. No fee is required before the filling of application forms online. Only those who have passed the Diploma in Basic Education Examinations will be required to fill the form.
Applicants will be required to fill the online form indicating the programme of their choice and the Study Centre, in line with their elective subject areas.
Programmes to be offered are: B.ED. (Post-Diploma) in Early Childhood Education, B.ED. (Post-Diploma) in Primary Education and B.ED. (Post-Diploma) Junior High School (JHS) Education.
Selected Colleges of Education across the country will be used as study centres.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), has said calls for the cancellation of some leaked papers in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) were premature.
Following the alleged leakage of the Core Mathematics, and Chemistry Practical exam questions, the Association has instead called for an investigation into the matter adding that WAEC must ensure that persons behind it are sanctioned this time around.
“We have not been punishing these people enough. What you hear is cancellation of exams. If someone has been entrusted with things at WAEC and the person leaks the exams, I think they should be handed the severest punishment because the person is certainly not patriotic.â€
Speaking in an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb, the General Secretary of GNAT, Thomas Tanko Musah noted that, “To call for cancellation now will be premature” adding that “the laws of the land requires that when there is an issue, an investigation must be done. All the people involved must be given an opportunity to be heard… that is the right way to go.â€
In previous cases, the West African Examination Council have had to cancel papers they suspected were leaked prior to the exams and candidates made to rewrite the paper.
Meanwhile, the Minority in parliament is pushing for the immediate cancellation of the WASSCE papers that leaked.
A statement signed by the Member of Parliament for Builsa South and Deputy Ranking Member, Committee on Education, Dr. Clement Abass Apaak, noted that “WAEC, as a matter of urgency, must cancel the leaked and suspected leaked papers as it has done in the past.”
Adding: “WAEC must also investigate the sources of the leakage of papers and the contact details of examiners, and hold to account the perpetrators of these crimes. WAEC must also ensure the safety of the remaining papers to avert the embarrassing situations we have witnessed the past few days.â€
GNAT, on the other hand, believes that a thorough investigation must be conducted to bring an end to this syndicate.
Mr. Tanko Musah advised WAEC to be more “interested in having the matter investigated thoroughly in other to maintain its image in Ghana and beyond.â€
“Until this matter is investigated, we cannot take actions against anybody. If you proceed now, anybody can go to court and that decision will be set aside. So there should be a prima facie case that should be established, after, investigations conducted then based upon that, the necessary sanctions can be applied… WAEC should avail itself to get these things done, otherwise, it will dent their image.â€
The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Thomas Tanko Musah, has called on the West African Examination Council (WAEC) to reduce the number of persons who come in contact with the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) questions to reduce the recurrence of leakages.
Speaking to GhanaWeb in an exclusive interview, Mr. Musah who condemned the practice called for stricter measures to clamp down on persons behind the act.
He added that WAEC should also tighten all the loopholes in the supply chain of exams questions.
“WAEC has deployed several systems that can detect leakages…the most important thing is to reduce the human interface with the supply chain of the exams questions. We need to reduce it to the barest minimum and when the leakage happens the onus will lie on the people in whose hands we committed the papers to so that they know that when anything goes wrong they will not be spared.â€
According to reports, the Social Studies, Core Mathematics, and Chemistry Practical examinations questions were leaked on social media ahead of time.
Ghana experiences exams leakages despite efforts to fight it. It is, however, unclear the source of the leaked questions. There has been an increasing call for exam body to ensure top-notch security in their ‘strong room’ to prevent exams-leakages.
According to the General Secretary of GNAT, it has become necessary more than ever to bring to book persons who are found culpable of the crime.
He is of the view that “we have not been punishing these people enough, what you hear is the cancellation of exams. If someone has been entrusted with things at WAEC, and the person leaks the exams, I think they should be handed the severest punishment because the person is certainly not patriotic.â€
Adding: “If people are found culpable especially in the supply chain of questions, there should be a severe punishment that will serve as a deterrent to people who will try to engage in that.â€
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has said government lied when it said personal protective equipment (PPEs) were supplied to the various senior high schools before reopening in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.
President of GNAT Ms Phillapa Larsen told Alfred Ocansey on Sunrise on 3FM Tuesday, July 14 that some schools were not provided with the PPEs before they reopened.
The schools had to rely on the parents to supply their wards with nose masks way before the government started supplying the others.
“They said without the PPEs the doors of the schools were not going to be opened. Unfortunately, the school reopened without PPEs but the schools managed. They have done a few things especially with the Veronica buckets, the soaps and the rest. The parents also did well by providing some nose masks.
“That is what the schools managed until government supplied the PPEs to the schools.
“Are we saying that one mask per student that is the end to this problem? Then it means as a country we lied, as a country we have not been honest because people in positions have mentioned that all the PPEs have been supplied,†she said.
She further suggested to the government to conduct mass testing for all students and staff in the senior high schools (SHSs) that have recorded cases of the Coronavirus.
Ms Larsen said it will be better for all the other students and staff in the affected schools to know their status in order not to spread the virus.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) said it believed that coming back to normal life should be done in safety.
Mr Thomas T. Musah, GNAT General Secretary, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said, two weeks ago, they presented a proposal to the Ghana Education Service (GES) detailing what government should do before the limited reopening for final year students.
“In that proposal, we made it clear that all schools should be fumigated, provide with Veronica buckets, thermometer guns, health personnel to man the schools and expand infrastructure to enhance social distancing and management of students, among others,” he said.
He said they also spoke about teacher incentives to motivate them to give out their best during these difficult times.
The Secretary-General said he hoped that government would make those logistics ready before June 22 to give assurance to parents, teachers and students of their safety.
Mr Musah said: “We are not in normal times and safety at this time is very key. This is not the time to be considering issues as the usual business”.
He said the onus is on the GES to come out with a policy statement and resources for effective implementation of the proposals put before it to ensure safety of all.
He said GNAT continue to maintain that no one should be left out, adding, “we need to give the assurance to parents that their wards will be safe while back in school”.
“The Ministry of Education, GES and all duty bearers have to ensure that the right things are done in our schools to protect both students and teachers from contracting the COVID-19 virus”.
He said it was likely that they would be meeting with the Ministry and the GES this week to see how far to carry out the measures.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo in his 10th address to the nation on managing of COVID-19 on May 31, announced reopening of schools in phases.
He outlined that from Monday, June 22, final year SHS and SHS Gold Track students are to resume classes with a minimum of 25 in a classroon
The Final year JHS students also will resume classes on June 29 with a minimum of 30 students in a classroom.
Meanwhile, final year university students are to resume classes on June 15 with half the size of every class during lectures at all times.
The largest teacher union in Ghana, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has outlined some Key guidelines and recommendations that need to be adopted in the educational sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a pamphlet titled Impact Assessment of COVID-19 on the education sector in Ghana: The perspective of GNAT, 5 recommendations and guidelines have been listed as measures the country can adopt to combat the Coronavirus.
Speaking at the launch of the “Impact Assessment of COVID-19 on the education sector in Ghana: The perspective of GNAT,†National president for GNAT, Philippa Larsen said this is the time the educational system must be reshaped.
“COVID -19 is not only a threat but also a major opportunity to reshape the teaching and learning in Ghana through the integration of pedagogies which incorporate digital learning and the prioritization of Education in Emergencies in Education budget planning,†he noted.
Some of the recommendations, included collaboration between Ministry of Education and MMDAs to institute means to ensure that pupils/students use their time meaningfully and not engage in trading fishing, to the detriment of studying while home.
Partnerships and collaboration with unions, student learning, support to valuable students especially in the rural areas, and Psycho-social support were suggested to aid during the pandemic.
Guidelines on reopening of the schools by the GNAT include the following;
*Schools should be opened in phases
* Fumigation of all schools and education, offices
*Class size should be reduced
*All teachers, learners and supporting staff must be tested across the country
*provision of necessary preventive health materials (handwashing buckets, hand sanitizers, tissues, nose masks and reliable water supply.)
GNAT emphasized on the need to include students, especially those living with disabilities, as the impact of COVID-19 is worse for the lower socio-economic group with children with disabilities facing an even greater risk of being left behind in the scheme of things.
Former General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) David Ofori Acheampong has asked the government to do widen consultations before reopening schools in the wake of the Covid-19 measures.
He told Alfred Ocansey on Sunrise on 3FM Tuesday that the safety of school children and Ghanaians in general must be the topmost priority for government in taking the decision to reopen schools.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced that stakeholder consultations are taking place on the way forward toward the easing of Covid-19 restrictions so that the social and economic lives of Ghanaians “can go back to normalâ€
“I expect these consultations to conclude this week,†he said at a virtual national Eid-ul Fitr celebration on Sunday, May 24, adding: “So that I can announce to Ghanaians a clear roadmap for easing the restrictionsâ€.
“We have to find a way back, but in safety, for we cannot be under these restrictions forever,†the President said.
Ghana recorded 156 new cases of Covid-19 raising the figure to 6,964, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) said on Tuesday, May 26.
Mr Ofori Achemapong stated that there is the need to look at the safety measures “before one can say that we can go back. I believe that it is right that we are talking about bringing life back to normal but the point is that if safety is not the key ingredient then there will be a serious [problem] in our countryâ€.
Meanwhile, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Deputy Education Minister in charge of Basic and Secondary Education, says the Ghana Education Service (GES) is currently engaging stakeholders on a possible reopening of schools.
Schools were closed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as part of the measures to curtail the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.
The president placed a ban on all gatherings including political rallies, church service and large funerals due to the pandemic.
The National Youth Coordinator of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Mr. Thomas Musah says the closure of schools must continue until we have been able to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.
Speaking on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm, he said we cannot compromise the lives of students and teachers by reopening schools when we have not dealt with the outbreak.
The COVID-19 he explained is spread through contact and the setting in schools could make the spread of the virus faster.
Mr. Musah called for caution against any plan to reopen schools since it would open the floodgate for more infections.
According to him, we lack the needed infrastructure to observe strict social distancing in our schools.
Even if we are able to observe social distancing or even create more classrooms, we would need more teachers and that is something he said we cannot afford.
“COVID-19 is spread through contacts. We cannot compromise the safety of Ghanaians by reopening schools. Can we provide for all students the needed protection if we reopen school/ We are not there yet, and I think we should tread cautiously. The life of every Ghanaian matter and important.â€
He said the decision by the government to rely on E-Learning platforms to keep the schools running is a positive initiative but efforts must be intensified to make disadvantaged students benefit.
The Ministry of Education has introduced a number of platforms, with more in development, to assist children in learning.
For online, we have resources available for SHS students on iCampus Ghana which can be accessed at icampusgh.com using their BECE Index Number plus the last two digits of the year they wrote their BECE as their username. So, for SHS 3 students, add 17 to the end of their BECE index number, 18 for SHS 2 and 19 for SHS 1.
Additionally, the Ghana Learning TV is now available on free-to-air TV, as well as on DStv channel 315, GOtv channel 150 and StarTimes channel 312. We are currently producing learning content for radio broadcast, soon to be available across the country.
The three Teacher Unions in the Western and Western-North Regions in conjunction with the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEW) have called on the national leadership of Parliament to suspend the Pre-Tertiary Education Bills (2019) currently at the committee level in Parliament.
According to the Unions, there must be deeper stakeholder consultation before Parliament could go-ahead to pass the bill into law.
The Unions contended that certain portions of the bills were inimical to policies in education which have the tendency to collapse the structures of the Ghana Education Service (GES).
The Western Regional Chairman of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Rev. Charles A. Kaku who was flanked by the Regional Chairman of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Justin Nelson, the Regional Secretary of GNAT, Mr. Nicholas Taylor, the Regional Vice-Chairman of the Coalition of Concerned Teachers-Ghana, and Mr. Emmanuel Kusi, the Regional Industrial Relations Officer of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), told a news conference in Takoradi.
The Regional Chairman of GNAT reminded the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Parliament to take note of the concerns of the teacher unions before they proceed with the consideration of the bills.
Rev. Kaku said the teacher unions consider education a key to national development hence any attempt to introduce policies and legislation in the sector must engage teachers as major stakeholders.
Chanting “twoboi” to register their displeasure with the bills, the GNAT Chairman said the bill as it currently stands seeks to cede the effective responsibility for the provision and management of basic schools to the District Assemblies.
It also seeks to cede the management of the Senior High Schools to the Regional Education Directorate (Regional Coordinating Council) with Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) to be managed by their own Director-General independent of the Ghana Education Service.
Rev. Kaku wondered whether there was going to be situations where each District Assembly was going to pay their own teachers and the capacity of various District Assemblies to shoulder this responsibility.
He warned that if the bill is allowed to go through in its current state, it has the tendency to break the unified educational arrangement.
He added that if the bill is allowed to go through in its current state, it has the tendency to break the unified educational arrangement we have now and also has the potential of distorting the unified condition of service as the various MMDCEs will develop their independent condition of service which may not be in the best interest of their members.
Under section 31 of the bill, the Head of Local Government Service would be appointing Heads and Staff of the District Education unit as well as be responsible for promotion, transfer, discipline and dismissal of the staff of the District Education Unit.
He said the position of the Unions is that the country is already politically polarized and again any party that comes to power would like to have their party sympathizers occupy positions even when they are not the most qualified people which opens the floodgate to perpetual politicization of appointment of heads of schools.
Rev. Kaku cited section 32 (3 of the bill which stipulates that the District Officer in charge of the Education unit can only grant transfer to a headteacher or a staff of a basic school within the same District.
The Unions, therefore, demanded an answer from government whether teachers are now going to be restricted to a District and can no longer get transferred to other Districts and Regions.
The bill also states that inter-District transfer of a Headteacher or a staff of a basic school can only be undertaken by the Head of the Local Government Services under section 32 (4) of the bill.
Under the bill, the President of the Republic shall be appointing Regional Directors and their Deputies and determine their terms and conditions of service under section 25 (2) and section 26 (2) of the bill.
The preparation, administration and control of budgetary allocations of the basic schools shall be determined by the District Assemblies under section 30 (1c) of the bill.
The bill also states under section 36 (1) that teachers employed in basic schools are on the coming into force of this act, transferred to the Local Government Service.
The teachers are therefore asking whether basic school teachers are going to be civil servants or public servants and the fate of Senior High School teachers whether they will be placed in the Regional Coordinating Councils.
From the foregoing, the teacher unions are of the view that the bill will be dangerous to the teaching profession with the tendency of destroying the very fabric of the management arrangement of Ghana Education Service in the country.
At the solidarity conference, the teachers were resolved to resist the passage of the bill with all our legitimate might and strength as teachers to preserve the unified teaching profession at the pre-tertiary level.
“We have cautioned and still cautioning that should our concerns and inputs be disregarded or ignored, we the pre-tertiary education teacher unions would advise ourselves accordingly”, they warned.
The National Labour Commission has declared the strike by the three Teacher Unions as illegal and has ordered them to return to the classroom.
Several pupils and students in public primaries and senior high schools have been without teachers since Monday when members of the National Association of Graduate Teachers(NAGRAT), Ghana National Association of Teachers(GNAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers(CCT) laid down their tools.
The industrial action is to pile pressure on government to pay legacy arrears accrued between 2012 and 2016.
Speaking to Starr News, the Executive Secretary of the Labour Commission, Ofosu Asamoah said the teachers risk losing their salaries if they remain on strike.
“The NLC finds the conduct of the three teacher unions not in conformity with the law because procedurally they did not comply with what the law provides in the declaration of a strike and therefore it is illegal. They have been directed by the Commission to go back to call off the strike and go back to the classroom while the GES works to pay whoever the arrears is due.â€
He said if the teachers fail to comply with the directive “the law will take its course. Illegal strikes are not paid for by the government, so illegal striking workers will not be paid.â€
The Ghana Education Service is shocked by the decision of three Teacher Unions to embark on a strike over the non-payment of salary arrears.
The three Unions - Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT-GH) – declared the strike action which will take effect on Monday, December 9 following a series of engagements with the government on Legacy Arrears incurred between 2012 and 2016.
In the jointly signed statement, the Unions say the lack of adherence on the part of the government to these demands has necessitated the December 9Â action.
They, therefore, directed all members to stay out of classrooms across the country in protests of the “sufferingsâ€Â endured “as a result of the negligence.â€
But the GES in a statement copied to Joy News explained that the Legacy Arrears relate to outstanding salary arrears between 2012 and 2016 and affected about 120,232 staff of the Service.
“The Legacy Arrears was as a result of the policy by the then government which allowed the payment of three months of salary arrears owed any employee in the Public Service. All other arrears were to be justified and validated by the Audit Service before payment.
“Since 2017, the current government has taken deliberate actions to pay off the arrears due to those who deserve them. It is significant to note that as of September 2019, about 87,556 staff of GES had been paid their full salary arrears, representing 95% of total staff validated for payment,†the statement said.
GES also noted that since then further actions have been taken to pay the arrears and at a meeting with the Teacher Unions on December 2, some agreements were reached.
“It is therefore with utmost shock that Management has learnt of the purported declaration of the strike action and states that the conduct of the Union leaders is grossly an abuse of the principle of good faith and good working relations which have been established and nurtured over the years.â€
The association of teachers in Nkoranza North District of the Bono East Region has claimed that, at least 80 of school teachers have fled the area this academic year, following the killing of two of their colleagues.
“The state of insecurity that has gripped the entire membership is there for all to see. The situation has not abated as many of our members are planning to leave and this will surely affect teaching and learning in the Districtâ€, said Mr. Bismark Appiah-Kubi, the Nkoranza District Chairman of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT).
The recent gruesome murder of teachers is causing extreme fear and panic among teachers, and called on security agencies to act swiftly to protect the lives of teachers in the area, Mr. Appiah-Kubi said over the weekend, the Ghana News Agency reported.
On June 15, 2019, Abubakari Karim, aged 28, a teacher at the Senya District Assembly Junior High School was gruesomely murdered in a bizarre circumstance.
The deceased who had successfully organised final year students of the school to write the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), was on his way back from Senya after he had sent the candidates home, when he was reportedly murdered.
Three suspects arrested in connection with that murder and standing trial at the Nkoranza Magistrate Court, have been granted self-enquiry bail.
About two years ago, another teacher Edward Opoku, a circuit supervisor at the Nkoranza North District Education Directorate was murdered in a similar circumstance and his body was dumped at the outskirt of Fiema-Boabeng.
At a news conference held at Busunya, the District capital, the Association issued a one-month ultimatum to the government to provide “visible safety measures to assuage the desperate situation teachers are being subjected to in the Nkoranza North District†or face their wrath.
Mr. Appiah-Kubi enjoined the Police to commence investigations into the murder of the late Opoku, and also to deepen their investigations into the murder of Karim in order that culprits of the heinous crime would all be arrested and prosecuted.
“The Assembly should bring this spate of murders and lack of safety among the teachers to the attention of the entire District, and collaborate with all stakeholders for urgent and concrete remedial measures to halt the gruesome murders, so that teaching and learning can continue,“ he said.
Meanwhile, a member of the GNAT legal team in Accra, James Agyemang Fokuoh, is pleading with the bereaved families to exercise patience and assured that the Association would follow the cases for the arrest of culprits to face full rigours of the law.
He pleaded with the teachers in the District to stay and serve the communities and advised them to be cautious enough in their movements, while the Association collaborates with stakeholders of education in the area to ensure their safety.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has joined sister teacher group, National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) in its industrial action against what they describe as unfavourable working conditions.
NAGRAT declared a nationwide strike over the newly introduced Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS) acquired by the Public Services Commission, unpaid allowances and delayed promotions among others.
NAGRAT President, Angel Carbonu says while the association is yet to meet the Ghana Education Service (GES), there is scheduled meeting with the National Labour Commission on Wednesday over the impasse.
NAGRAT and GNAT will begin their strike action today, Tuesday, September 10, 2019.
In a statement copied to Joy News, six out of the 10 regional branches of the Association say they are embarking on the industrial action following the inability of their employer, the Ghana Education Service (GES) to resolve the many challenges confronting its members.
GNAT said it has been inundated with calls and agitations from its members across the regions for the strike action and the Association is no longer able to control them.
