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Tag: NAGRAT

  • NAGRAT challenges Prof. Smile Dzisi’s appointment, calls for his dismissal

    NAGRAT challenges Prof. Smile Dzisi’s appointment, calls for his dismissal

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) is calling for the dismissal of Professor Smile Gavua Dzisi as Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), arguing that he lacks the necessary professional teaching background.

    According to NAGRAT, key leadership positions within the GES should be reserved for professional educators who have advanced through the system.

    The association contends that appointing individuals without teaching experience undermines the growth and progression of trained educators.

    NAGRAT President Eric Carbonu voiced his concerns, stating “Pre-tertiary teachers, many of whom hold advanced degrees like PhDs and Masters, are fully capable of managing their own affairs and should be given leadership opportunities within the service.”

    He further stressed the distinction between the pre-tertiary and tertiary education sectors, asserting that individuals without experience in pre-tertiary education are not well-suited to oversee its administration.

    Beyond pushing for Prof. Dzisi’s removal, NAGRAT is urging the government to prioritize trained educators for leadership positions in pre-tertiary education agencies.

    The association has also called on President John Dramani Mahama to uphold the professionalism of public and civil service appointments, ensuring they remain non-partisan and serve all Ghanaians effectively.

    To advance these demands, NAGRAT has requested a meeting with the President and other key education stakeholders to address its concerns and propose strategies for strengthening the sector.

  • Parents must pay for feeding, accommodation of wards in SHSs – NAGRAT President

    Parents must pay for feeding, accommodation of wards in SHSs – NAGRAT President

    The President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Carbonu, has proposed that parents with children in senior high schools should bear the cost of feeding and accommodation as part of a review of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy.

    Speaking in an interview with Accra-based Okay FM on Friday, January 10, 2025, Mr. Carbonu stressed that while the Free SHS programme has significant benefits, the current economic challenges make it unsustainable in its current form.

    “It is the view and position of our association that while Free SHS has undeniable benefits, the current economic climate makes the programme unsustainable in its present form,” he stated.

    His remarks align with a similar recommendation made by the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), which had earlier called on parents and guardians to assist in addressing feeding shortages in senior high schools.

    Mr. Carbonu referenced the ongoing food shortages affecting secondary schools, noting that headmasters have requested parents to provide extra food items for their children before returning them to school.

    He criticized the government’s dependence on the National Food Buffer Stock Company for food supply, arguing that it has led to delays in the distribution of food to schools.

    “The government has stopped headmasters from buying food directly. Instead, money is transferred to schools only after preliminary tasks such as population inventory are completed, and this slows everything down,” he explained.

    To mitigate the crisis, Mr. Carbonu proposed temporarily sending students home while stakeholders deliberate on long-term solutions. He also called for the swift appointment of a Minister of Education to lead these crucial discussions.

    Ghana’s Financial Struggles

    Highlighting the financial difficulties facing Ghana, Mr. Carbonu described the nation as a “debt-ridden, distressed country” with limited resources to sustain universal subsidies like the Free SHS.

    He pointed out that most of the country’s revenue is consumed by salaries, interest payments, and statutory obligations, leaving minimal funds for other essential services.

    “Even after exams are written, the government struggles to pay for the marking of scripts. We are carrying something we are not financially capable of supporting,” he noted.

    Targeted Support Instead of Blanket Subsidies

    The NAGRAT President reiterated his association’s stance that the Free SHS policy should be revised to focus on tuition, while parents cover the costs of feeding and accommodation.

    “If you want your child to eat well and sleep comfortably, you should pay for it,” he emphasized, clarifying that this approach would not involve reintroducing general school fees but rather addressing specific boarding costs.

    He further proposed that the government should identify financially vulnerable families and provide them with targeted bursaries instead of maintaining blanket subsidies for all.

    “This way, we can focus on those who truly need help and avoid overstretching the system,” Mr. Carbonu suggested.

    Call for National Dialogue

    Mr. Carbonu urged the government to initiate a national economic dialogue, bringing together key stakeholders to develop practical solutions to the country’s ongoing financial crisis.

    “Our inability to tell the truth is why we are in this situation. If Ghana’s finances improve, we can offer Free SHS to all, but for now, we must stop deceiving ourselves,” he concluded.

  • Ban PTA if it is interfering with Free SHS – NAGRAT ‘jabs’ govt

    Ban PTA if it is interfering with Free SHS – NAGRAT ‘jabs’ govt

    National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has called on the Ministry of Education to consider abolishing the Parents Association (PA) scheme in Senior High Schools (SHSs) if it undermines the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy.

    This statement follows the Ghana Education Service’s (GES) decision to suspend headteachers from Ahantaman Senior High School and St. Roses Senior High School in Akwatia due to accusations of unauthorised fee collection.

    NAGRAT argues that these fees were instituted by the Parents Association rather than the school administrations, deeming the disciplinary action against the headteachers to be unfair.

    At a recent press conference, NAGRAT President Angel Carbonu called for the prompt reinstatement of the suspended headteachers, emphasising that the schools should not be penalised for the actions of the Parents Association.

    “With the coming in of the Free Senior High School, the role of the PTAs was abandoned. What we now have in the schools is the Parents Association without the teachers,” Mr. Carbonu explained.

    He went on to explain that, regarding the suspended headteachers, the Parents Association had independently decided to gather funds for a particular purpose.

    “If the ministry feels that the presence of the PAs is negatively affecting the smooth running of the schools within the context of Free SHS, the ministry can ban the formation of PAs outrightly,” Mr. Carbonu added.

  • Teachers must be the pivotal element in promoting, enhancing education – NAGRAT

    Teachers must be the pivotal element in promoting, enhancing education – NAGRAT

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has called on political parties to prioritize teacher welfare in their education policies rather than focusing solely on students.

    According to NAGRAT, past governments have neglected the welfare of teachers, leading to low morale and unfavorable working conditions.

    Atindana Baba Joseph, the Ashanti Regional Secretary of NAGRAT, expressed concerns over the recurring tendency of political parties to emphasize policies that benefit students while overlooking the needs of the teachers who are responsible for implementing those policies.

    “For political parties, we have heard what they promised, and what makes us so angry is that always the policies are geared towards the students. How to make the students something, not the ones who are going to implement those policies—that has been our worry,” he said.

    NAGRAT highlighted several ongoing challenges faced by teachers, including a lack of housing for rural teachers, delays in the payment of allowances, and insufficient teaching and learning resources. These issues, the association believes, are undermining the ability of teachers to perform their duties effectively.

    One specific example cited by Atindana Baba Joseph was the distribution of TM1 laptops to teachers, which have only 2.5GB of memory, compared to laptops with higher memory capacity provided to students. NAGRAT sees this as a reflection of the broader imbalance in how education resources are allocated.

    NAGRAT urged political parties to make teachers the focal point of their efforts to improve education by offering better welfare packages, housing solutions, and enhanced facilities. The association also advocated for the improvement of the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy rather than its cancellation, a concern raised by some political figures.

    “We have heard both parties and what they said, but what we are saying is that make the teacher the pivotal element in promoting and enhancing education,” said Atindana.

    “We are not interested in their new definition of improved mean cancellation; we are not interested in that. We are born to teach, whoever comes to power, we will teach. However, if you come and enhance our welfare, the package, that makes us more interested in the teaching, and every teacher motivated will teach you to the best of his ability—and the vice versa is true.”

    Speaking at NAGRAT’s 25th anniversary launch in Kumasi, the Registrar of the National Teaching Council, Dr. Christian Addai-Poku, defended the introduction of the Teacher Licensure Examination, asserting that it was essential for maintaining high standards in the profession.

    He encouraged political figures to consult with education experts for a more comprehensive understanding of policies related to teaching and learning.

  • Teachers in TVET being maltreated – NAGRAT

    Teachers in TVET being maltreated – NAGRAT

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has expressed grave concerns over what they describe as the continuous maltreatment of professional teachers in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.

    The association claims that the establishment of TVET by the Ghana Education Service (GES) has introduced significant challenges for teachers, particularly those who were previously employed in technical schools that have now been converted into TVET facilities.

    In a statement issued by Angel Carbonu, the President of NAGRAT, the association criticized the Ministry of Education for failing to provide a smooth transition period for affected teachers, arguing that educators were not given a choice to either remain under the GES or transfer to TVET. This, according to NAGRAT, has created confusion and a sense of neglect among teachers.

    “One surprising thing is that the management of TVET has come out with a Scheme of Service for teachers in TVET without discussions with the representatives of the teachers. One wonders what the hidden motive of the management of TVET is, in developing a scheme without the representatives of the unions the teachers belong to,” the statement read.

    NAGRAT reminded TVET authorities that the institutions they are managing today were not created from scratch but were formerly technical schools, with teachers who have long been members of unions. The association believes that these teachers should have been considered in decision-making processes, especially when their future employment status is at stake.

    The union further condemned the unilateral decision to transfer teachers from the GES to TVET without obtaining their consent. They also raised alarms about the removal of teachers from their respective unions, particularly in cases where teachers on study leave have been removed from the payroll due to a lack of accountability by both the GES and TVET services.

    “If the management of TVET does not want to regard its teachers as professional educationists, it is up to them. Some teachers who were on study leave from the GES have had their names taken off the payroll since both GES and the TVET Service could not account for them,” NAGRAT said.

    NAGRAT has issued a stern ultimatum to the Ministry of Education, giving them until September 30, 2024, to address the mounting concerns of teachers in TVET institutions. The union insists that teachers should be given the option to choose between remaining with GES or transitioning to TVET, and they also demanded negotiations on service conditions in line with labour laws.

    “If these processes are not set in motion by the 30th of September 2024, the union has no other option than to embark on an industrial action in solidarity with our members working with TVET,” NAGRAT warned, signaling the possibility of strikes if their grievances are not addressed.

    The union’s concerns have highlighted the ongoing tension between teachers and the TVET management, raising questions about how educational reforms are being implemented and the welfare of the professionals who deliver them.

  • We’ve improved, grown significantly under Hilda Ampadu – NaSIA to NAGRAT

    We’ve improved, grown significantly under Hilda Ampadu – NaSIA to NAGRAT

    The National Schools Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA) has responded to calls from the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) for the removal of Executive Director Dr. Haggar Hilda Ampadu.

    NAGRAT’s President, Angel Carbonu, had proposed Dr. Ampadu’s replacement, criticizing her for inadequate collaboration with teacher unions and insufficient oversight of trained teachers from the Ghana Education Service (GES).

    In a statement issued on July 24, NaSIA defended Dr. Ampadu, highlighting significant progress under her leadership since June 2019.

    “The then National Inspectorate Board (NIB), now NaSIA has undeniably and significantly grown and improved.”

    The authority reported a dramatic increase in inspections from 50 schools annually in 2019 to over 10,000 schools today, including private schools.

    The statement also noted the production of comprehensive annual inspection reports that support improvements in school performance.

    NASIA reaffirmed its support for Dr. Ampadu and her leadership, emphasizing their commitment to maintaining her role.

    “For instance, we have moved from inspecting an average of fifty (50) schools per year in 2019 to over 10,000 schools per year currently, private schools included, producing annual aggregate and individual inspection reports which aid schools to improve on learning outcomes. We respect and value her leadership, and so would like to protect it as much as possible,” NaSIA stated.

  • NASIA Executive Director is incompetent, she must be replaced – NAGRAT

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has called for the dismissal of the Executive Director of the National Schools Inspectorate Authority (NASIA), Dr. Haggar Hilda Ampadu.

    NAGRAT claims that NASIA has not effectively collaborated with teacher unions and has overlooked trained teachers from the Ghana Education Service in school inspections.

    Angel Carbonu, President of NAGRAT, emphasized that a more capable individual should replace Dr. Ampadu.

    “One wonders whether it’s right for the Inspector to be the one to collect fees and charges. And again, I have never seen the report that NASIA is supposed to bring out quarterly on the inspection work that they have done. It looks as if the leader of NASIA as of now does not understand the job that is been given to her.

    “We humbly plead with the government to change her and get a more competent person to manage NASIA and see how we operate in that [area]. Since that agency was formed, it has never had any meetings with the representatives of the teachers in this country, and I’m talking about the unions.

    “There has not been a single meeting, we have reached out to the head of NASIA, the leadership, all these years, and we’re talking about six years now, zero, no meeting,” Angel Carbonu said.

  • You will hear our voice on pertinent issues from now on – NAGRAT President

    You will hear our voice on pertinent issues from now on – NAGRAT President

    Eric Agbe-Carbonu, President of the Ghana National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), has pledged that the organization will no longer remain silent on critical national issues, emphasizing a commitment to advocacy and accountability in governance.

    In a recent interview on Joy News’ PM Express with Evans Mensah, Agbe-Carbonu reiterated NAGRAT’s determination to speak out on matters affecting the nation.

    Reflecting on the recent nationwide strike over the sale of SSNIT’s stake in hotels to public officials, he highlighted the necessity for organised labour to hold the government accountable.

    “If yesterday we did not raise our voice, we want to assure everybody today moving forward, you will hear our voice on pertinent issues,” Agbe-Carbonu affirmed.

    The strike action, initially launched to protest SSNIT’s plan to sell 60% shares in four hotels to a private firm linked to Food and Agriculture Minister Bryan Acheampong, was suspended recently.

    The Trades Union Congress (TUC), representing organised labour, set a one-month ultimatum for SSNIT to address outstanding pension issues.

    Agbe-Carbonu clarified that the objective was not to disrupt the country’s operations but to ensure transparency and fairness in governance.

    “We never intended to hold the country hostage,” he stated. “Our aim is to address abuses of power and ensure that decisions benefit the public interest.”

    Responding to criticism about the perceived silence on pressing national issues like illegal mining (‘galamsey’), Agbe-Carbonu pointed out that the underlying problems are often orchestrated by influential figures rather than those directly involved in illegal activities.

    “It is the powerful people behind it, not the miners arrested in the gravel pits, who drive galamsey,” he emphasized, likening the situation to organized crime where higher-ups orchestrate illicit activities.

    Agbe-Carbonu called on professional associations, including the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), and the media to unite in addressing challenges facing the nation.

    “We urge the GBA, media, and all stakeholders to join our cause,” he urged. “This is about safeguarding the future of our country and ensuring accountability in all sectors.”

    He concluded by reaffirming NAGRAT’s commitment to advocating for positive change and encouraged all Ghanaians to actively engage in shaping a better future for the nation.

  • Come onboard, this is the only country we have – NAGRAT President tells GBA, media

    Come onboard, this is the only country we have – NAGRAT President tells GBA, media

    President of the Ghana National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Eric Agbe-Carbonu, has called on the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), media, and other professional associations to join hands in addressing national issues affecting the country.

    Speaking in an interview with Evans Mensah on Joy News’ PM Express, Agbe-Carbonu emphasized the need for collective action to hold the government accountable and address critical concerns facing Ghana.

    “If yesterday we did not raise our voice, we want to assure everybody today moving forward, you will hear our voice on pertinent issues,” Agbe-Carbonu asserted, reflecting on the recent nationwide strike organized by organised labour over the sale of SSNIT’s stake in hotels to public officials.

    Organised labour, including NAGRAT, had initially launched the strike to protest SSNIT’s plan to sell 60% shares in four hotels to a private firm owned by Food and Agriculture Minister Bryan Acheampong. The strike was suspended recently, with the Trades Union Congress (TUC) giving SSNIT a one-month ultimatum to resolve outstanding pension issues.

    Agbe-Carbonu clarified that their actions were not intended to hold the country hostage but rather to ensure accountability in governance. He urged the GBA, media, and all stakeholders to join their cause for the betterment of Ghana.

    Addressing concerns about their perceived silence on national issues such as illegal mining (‘galamsey’), Agbe-Carbonu pointed out the involvement of influential figures in perpetuating these issues.

    “It is the powerful people behind it, not the boys and girls we arrest in the gravel pits, who are responsible for the galamsey,” he remarked, drawing a parallel to organized crime. “It is the people we have given power to.”

    He called for unity among professional associations and the media to confront challenges that threaten Ghana’s development and prosperity.

    “And we want other people to come on board, we do not want the Ghana Bar Association to be docile and tell us that they don’t want to talk politics. They should come on board,” Agbe-Carbonu urged.

    “We want the media to come on board. We want everybody to come on board because this is the only country that we have,” he emphasized.

  • Stop denying sick students permission to seek medical attention – NAGRAT to SHS heads

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has urged senior high school (SHS) heads to cease denying students permission to seek external medical treatment.

    This plea follows a recent court ruling against Achimota School, which found the school liable for negligence resulting in the death of a student eight years ago.

    Achimota School has been instructed to pay GH¢600,000 in damages for negligently causing the death of Kervin Kofi Moses in 2016.

    The court’s decision underscores the importance of promptly allowing students access to necessary medical care.

    In response to this ruling, NAGRAT President Angel Carbonu stressed the responsibility of school leaders to ensure the well-being of their students.

    He emphasized that denying students access to medical care could lead to severe consequences and called on school heads to prioritize student health.

    Speaking to the media, Carbonu emphasized the urgent need for school authorities to promptly release students requiring medical attention.

    He highlighted that timely medical intervention can prevent tragic outcomes and is crucial for student welfare.

    NAGRAT’s plea seeks to safeguard students from avoidable health hazards caused by administrative delays or negligence.

    The association anticipates that this case will encourage educational institutions to place greater emphasis on the well-being and safety of their students.

    determine whether a student is sick or not because you don’t have competence in that field.”

    “So when a student comes to you and says that he or she is sick, all that you have to do is refer the student to the appropriate professionals who have the competence to determine the sickness or otherwise of a person.”

    “What business does a housemaster or a housemistress have to deny a student exeat to go to the hospital?”

  • About 99% of SHS students use mobile phones in school – Angel Carbonu

    About 99% of SHS students use mobile phones in school – Angel Carbonu

    The President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Carbonu, has indicated that approximately 99% of Senior High School (SHS) students own mobile phones.

    During an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme, Mr. Carbonu expressed concern about this widespread trend.

    “We are deceiving ourselves that children should not bring mobile phones to schools. I can tell you that about 99% of children in SHS have mobile phones” he said.

    Mr. Carbonu recounted an incident in the Eastern Region where Curriculum and Assessment Officers initially believed students did not have phones.

    However, upon encouraging them to use phones for an exercise without consequences, all students promptly produced their devices.

    “In the next 5 to 10 years, if you don’t have knowledge in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a teacher, you will become ancient” he said.

    He emphasized that students possess significant ICT skills, underscoring the increasing role of technology in education.

  • Shelve Free SHS bill for further engagement – NAGRAT to gov’t

    Shelve Free SHS bill for further engagement – NAGRAT to gov’t

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has voiced significant concerns regarding the proposed Free Senior High School (SHS) Bill currently under discussion in Parliament.

    The association highlights a worrying lack of consultation with key stakeholders, including teacher unions, in the development of the proposal.

    NAGRAT expressed disappointment with the Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei-Adutwum, particularly over plans to separate Junior High School (JHS) from Primary School and eliminate the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) as a prerequisite for Senior High School admission.

    The association considers these changes critical and believes they necessitate extensive stakeholder engagement.

    In a statement issued on July 3, 2024, NAGRAT stated, “We hereby express our disappointment over the lack of any extensive stakeholder consultations and inputs on the impending supposed Free Senior High School (SHS) Bill, especially from the Teacher Unions whose Members are key in the implementation of the Free Senior High School programme.”

    The association is calling for the government to halt the bill’s presentation to Parliament to facilitate broader consultation. They also appealed to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education to reject the bill, citing the absence of input from education stakeholders, particularly teacher unions.

    “We hereby demand that the government, in the interest of mutual respect and acceptance of any law that will affect education, should suspend the presentation of the said bill to Parliament to allow for broad consultation.

    “We call on Parliament, especially the Select Committee on Education, that the so-called Bill is without Education Stakeholders’ inputs, particularly the teacher unions, and therefore, should respectively, be rejected,” the statement continued.

    Background

    The Majority in Parliament has announced its readiness to introduce the Free Senior High School Bill, which aims to institutionalize the free SHS policy, ensuring its continuity across successive governments. Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin revealed at a press briefing on June 11, 2024, that the Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei-Adutwum, has finalized the bill for presentation.

    The initiative is designed to safeguard the policy against potential abolition by future administrations. Afenyo-Markin emphasized, “If we consider it [Free SHS bill] as a House, what that means is that it becomes mandatory for governments to implement this.”

    “Unless it is repealed, no government would have the right to say, I am not going to enforce Free SHS because now it is law, so if you fail, a citizen can apply to the court as his bona fide and the court can exact justice in that citizen’s favour,” he added.

    As the debate unfolds, NAGRAT insists on the necessity for comprehensive consultations to ensure that any new legislation benefits from the insights and expertise of all relevant stakeholders, particularly those directly involved in the education sector.

    RE-FREE-SENIOR-HIGH-SCHOOL-SHS-BILL-NAGRATS-CONCERN-3-JUL-24Download
  • Teacher unions advocate for review of free SHS policy

    Teacher unions advocate for review of free SHS policy

    Four major teacher unions in Ghana, including NAGRAT, GNAT, the Coalition of Concerned Teachers of Ghana, and TEWU, have united to push for a comprehensive review of the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy and a boost in funding for basic education.

    In a meeting with the NDC led by former President John Mahama, the unions highlighted concerns about teacher pay, the curriculum, and the challenges arising from the Free SHS initiative.

    They stressed the urgency of improving teaching quality, school infrastructure, and the overall welfare of educators and students.

    The unions specifically called for greater investment in basic schools and comprehensive improvements, particularly in the Free SHS program, which they argued requires a thorough review to address existing shortcomings.

    Additionally, they voiced scepticism towards political promises, citing past letdowns in fulfilling commitments.

  • You have one week to settle unpaid pensions – NAGRAT tells govt

    You have one week to settle unpaid pensions – NAGRAT tells govt

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has voiced concerns regarding the government’s alleged failure to fulfill mandatory contributions for over 700,000 Ghanaian workers.

    During a press conference on Thursday, April 18, NAGRAT President, Angel Carbonu, accused the government of financial misconduct.

    He specifically pointed out the non-payment of Tier 2 pension scheme contributions and other third-party deductions since July 2023.

    Mr. Carbonu stressed that while these contributions are deducted from workers’ salaries, they are not reaching the intended institutions.

    This, according to NAGRAT, raises significant doubts about the future financial security of these workers, particularly concerning retirement.

    NAGRAT has issued a one-week ultimatum to the government, demanding the immediate transfer of all outstanding deductions to the appropriate institutions.

    Mr. Carbonu warned that failure to comply with this ultimatum could lead to further action being taken to address what they perceive as financial misconduct by the government.

  • NAGRAT, 2 other teacher unions strike over unfavorable service conditions

    NAGRAT, 2 other teacher unions strike over unfavorable service conditions

    Three teacher unions, including the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT-Gh), have announced a nationwide strike starting Wednesday, March 20.

    The decision to embark on the industrial action was made due to the delay by the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service in addressing their conditions of service.

    According to a press statement issued on Wednesday, March 20, the unions stated that negotiations for a new collective agreement should have been completed by February 29, 2024, but this has not been done.

    “Thus, the new Collective Agreement stands un-negotiated and we raised this concern in our letter to the Director General GES, dated February 29th, 2024 and also informed the National Labour Commission. As we gather here now, the issue is still outstanding,” part of the statement said.

    The unions have also highlighted the Ghana Education Service’s lack of a functional scheme of service for teachers, which they argue is essential for addressing the requirements of the teaching profession.

    They emphasized that a “cogent and appropriate” scheme would encompass all the necessary aspects of the teaching profession.

    Additionally, the unions pointed out the government and the GES’s failure to complete the distribution of laptops to all teachers.

  • Education Minister must be invited over SHSs’ debts owed to ECG – NAGRAT

    Education Minister must be invited over SHSs’ debts owed to ECG – NAGRAT

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has urged parliament to summon the Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum to address recent power outages in schools nationwide.

    This call follows the disconnection of Accra Academy from the national power grid due to outstanding arrears amounting to approximately GHs480,000 owed to the Electricity Company of Ghana.

    NAGRAT Vice President, Jacob Anaba, highlighted that Accra Academy is not the sole institution affected, citing Sunyani Senior High School and St. James Seminary in the Bono Region, which have encountered similar issues, including water challenges.

    Mr Anaba contended that parliamentary intervention could lead to improvements in teaching and learning conditions within second-cycle institutions.

    He expressed concern about the Ministry’s lack of proactiveness, emphasizing outstanding arrears for the third and fourth quarters.

    Speaking on the Super Morning Show on Joy FM, Mr. Anaba stated, “The Ministry has not been proactive. For us to be owing the third quarter and fourth quarter, and we are not even talking about this year, then there is a serious problem. I will urge Parliament to invite the Minister to Parliament to explain to the Ghanaian public what is actually happening for us to get understanding”.

    In response, the Education Ministry’s spokesperson, Kwasi Kwarteng, cast doubt on claims of power outages in some Bono Region schools. He suggested that NAGRAT should verify information before making such claims on a national platform like Joy FM.

    Additionally, Kwarteng explained discrepancies in the Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG) accounting structure as a potential cause for Accra Academy’s disconnection.

    He mentioned that payments, made at the national level, might not have been properly communicated to local offices, leading to the power cutoff on Monday, February 19.

  • Defreeze our salaries by Friday or blame yourself for what comes next – NAGRAT warns Special Prosecutor

    Defreeze our salaries by Friday or blame yourself for what comes next – NAGRAT warns Special Prosecutor

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has issued a two-day ultimatum to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to release the salaries of some teachers by Friday or face their wrath.

    The Association claimed that the OSP had withheld the salaries of over 400 teachers.

    The OSP stated that they are investigating ghost names on the government’s payroll, which is their justification for withholding the salaries.

    However, NAGRAT President Angel Karbonu argued that this is not sufficient justification for withholding their salaries.

    “When you’re auditing somebody, until the audit is completed and you have conclusively arrived indicating that A, B and C are not qualified to earn a salary, you don’t go ahead to inflict purgery.”

    Speaking on NewsNite on Wednesday, NAGRAT President Angel Karbonu warned that the association would be forced to resort to other measures if the Office of the Special Prosecutor fails to release the withheld salaries by Friday, February 16, 2024.

    “He [Special Prosecutor] has not finished prosecuting people who have been given bribes in elections and things like that, it is not poor teachers that he is coming to zero in on,” he said.

    “If he does not defreeze the salaries by Friday, he will have to be blamed for whatever happens after Friday.”

  • Supreme Court ‘snubs’ CRI; rules in favor of teachers in suit over strikes

    Supreme Court ‘snubs’ CRI; rules in favor of teachers in suit over strikes

    The Supreme Court of Ghana has dismissed a suit challenging the right of teacher unions to embark on strike.

    The legal battle ensued when Child Rights International, a civil society group advocating for children’s rights, took Ghana’s three prominent teacher unions—like those GNAT, NAGRAT, and CCT – to the Supreme Court over their strike actions.

    Claiming the strikes infringed on children’s rights, the organization sought a declaration that the strikes were unconstitutional.

    During the court proceedings on February 6, 2024, counsel for the plaintiff argued that while teachers have the right to unionize, striking is a limitation on this right, citing Article 28(4) of the Constitution.

    However according to a report by Asaaseradioonline.com, the Supreme Court expressed dissatisfaction with this argument, emphasizing the importance of strikes in democracy and questioning the consistency of the plaintiff’s position.

    Ultimately, the court ruled in favor of the teachers, affirming their right to unionize and strike. 

    The suit was deemed mischievous and incompetent, leading to its withdrawal by counsel, who was subsequently ordered to pay GHC40,000 in costs shared among the parties involved. 

  • Every examination is different every year – NAGRAT reacts Free SHS-WASSCE brouhaha

    Every examination is different every year – NAGRAT reacts Free SHS-WASSCE brouhaha

    President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Carbonu, has refuted former President John Mahama’s recent allegations of widespread cheating among senior high school graduates.

    Mr Carbonu emphasized the uniqueness of each examination, stating that “no two examinations can be the same.”

    Former President Mahama had expressed concerns about the authenticity of the recent West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results, pointing to the high pass rates.

    He alleged instances of invigilators and teachers aiding students in cheating, cautioning about potential consequences for the country’s educational system.

    In response, Carbonu challenged Mahama to provide statistical evidence supporting his claims, suggesting that there might be information not known to the public.

    “The information the former President has will help all of us to resolve the matter,” he added.

    Angel Carbonu clarified that it is incorrect to make sweeping statements about teachers’ performance, stating that not every teacher engages in cheating.

    While acknowledging that there have been instances where a few teachers were implicated in cheating, he emphasized that this does not reflect the broader teaching community.

    The NAGRAT President urged politicians to refrain from meddling in the country’s education system and instead focus on addressing the challenges confronting teachers.

    “We beg you politicians, stop playing political football with our exams. Let us maintain our standards. Every examination is different every year” he stated.

  • Stop disregarding GES’ directives to save your jobs – NAGRAT to headteachers

    Stop disregarding GES’ directives to save your jobs – NAGRAT to headteachers

    President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Carbonu, has issued a stern warning to headteachers nationwide, urging them to adhere to the government’s policy prohibiting the sale of items to students within school premises.

    This caution follows recent actions taken by the Ghana Education Service (GES), where the headteachers of O’Reilly Senior High School and Ghana Senior High School were interdicted for alleged unauthorized activities.

    The interdiction letters, dated December 6th and 7th, 2023, respectively, were issued by the Regional Education Offices of Greater Accra and Eastern Regions.

    Nadia Lartechoe Annan of O’Reilly SHS and Patience Naki Mensah of Ghana Senior High School were suspended for unauthorized activities, including the collection of admission fees and the sale of ceremonial cloth, tracksuits, and other items to incoming Form One students.

    Subsequently, on December 8, the GES interdicted two more headteachers, Mr. Afi Yaw Stephen of Berekum Senior High School and Mr. Joseph Jilinjeh Abudu of Odomaseman Senior High School, both for selling unauthorized items to new students.

    In reaction to this, Mr Carbonu said, “Let me caution my colleagues and my senior colleagues if GES under the control of the Ministry of Education is giving out a policy indicating that no school should sell any item to students either within the school premises or outside the school premises, no officer of the Ghana Education Service (GES) should make him or herself a salesman or a saleswoman to sell any item to parents or students.”

    Angel Carbonu further emphasized that, although there might be valid reasons behind selling items, disregarding directives from the Ghana Education Service (GES) poses significant risks.

    “Sometimes the reason these items are supposed to be sold is for very good reasons, mostly in the interest of the students themselves, but if the owner of the job, your employer has directed you not to sell why do you put yourself in harm’s way?

    “You will just have to abide by that rule so that the consequences of that rule will be evident to the employer for the employer to rather amend its policy or maintain the policy.”

  • 23% increase in base pay not a solution to the economic quagmire – NAGRAT

    23% increase in base pay not a solution to the economic quagmire – NAGRAT

    President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Carbonu, emphasized that the painstakingly arrived at base pay increment of 23% for the year 2024 was the outcome of a two-day negotiation between Organised Labour and the government.

    Initially, Organized Labour had demanded a 75.1% increase in base pay for the upcoming year. However, on Monday, they revised their proposal to 60%, which was subsequently rejected by the government, putting forth a counteroffer of a 15% increment.

    Following further discussions on Tuesday, November 14, both parties reached a consensus on a 23% raise, with an additional 2% expected in July, bringing the total to 25%.

    Mr. Carbonu, speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story after the agreement, expressed that while the settled percentage is an improvement, it falls short of being a comprehensive solution to the economic challenges faced by the people.

    “This salary increase was painstakingly arrived at …the general economic malaise is such that one wonders if one gets a percentage salary increase, it affects our economic situation because every day inflation is moving ahead of the monies that we have,” he said on Tuesday, November 14.

    Despite his reservations, Mr. Carbonu acknowledged that the agreed-upon 23% increment, set to be readjusted to 25% in July 2024, is an improvement from the current earning levels.

    On the other hand, Dr. Isaac Bampoe Addo, the Executive Secretary of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG), expressed dissatisfaction with the increment. He asserted that the government should present a more favorable offer during the next round of negotiations.

    Dr. Addo emphasized the need for the government to scrutinize and address inefficiencies in the system to facilitate a better deal for labor.

    “Government upon government, whatever colour it is, has always complained about no money, they’ve given all sorts of reasons but we have resolved that this must change,” he added.

  • Dam spillage: Measures must be put in place to mitigate impact of disaster on children and their education – NAGRAT

    Dam spillage: Measures must be put in place to mitigate impact of disaster on children and their education – NAGRAT

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has urged the Ministry of Education to develop and put into action strategies to mitigate the consequences of the flood disaster in the Lower Volta Basin on the education and welfare of school children.

    In a press statement, NAGRAT emphasized that the flooding caused by the Akosombo Dam’s release of water has disrupted the lives and educational pursuits of numerous children.

    Therefore, it is essential to establish a stable and safe environment for both students and their families.

    “We call upon the Ministry of Education and other relevant bodies to put in place measures to mitigate the impact of this disaster on the education of affected children. NAGRAT and its members are ever ready to offer the needed support.

    “NAGRAT emphasizes the need for a concerted effort from all stakeholders to respond to this disaster with the needed expertise, compassion, and urgency. Our thoughts are with the affected communities and we stand in solidarity with them during this challenging period,” parts of the statement read.

    NAGRAT has appealed to the government and relevant authorities to make the well-being of those affected a top priority and to proactively implement measures to prevent such incidents from recurring.

    “We will continue to monitor the situation closely and offer our assistance in any way possible to ensure a swift and effective response to this crisis,” the Association added.

    The Volta River Authority initiated the spillage of excess water on September 15, mainly due to the rising water levels in the Akosombo and Kpong hydro dams. In the weeks following the commencement of the spillage, numerous residents living along the Lower Volta Basin have experienced the loss of their homes and farmlands due to flooding caused by this release of water. Presently, nine districts are grappling with the impact of this overwhelming situation, resulting in a severe humanitarian crisis.

    This heartbreaking situation particularly affects the South, Central, and North Tongu districts within the Volta Region, where the devastation is extensive. Vibrant communities like Battor, Tefle, Mepe, Sogakope, Adidome, and Anlo now find themselves submerged, with their very existence nearly consumed by the relentless waters.

    Numerous residents have taken the initiative to evacuate themselves from the affected areas, and the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and other relevant agencies have actively participated in rescue operations. Furthermore, various institutions and individuals have generously provided relief supplies to the affected residents.

    Meanwhile, NAGRAT has expressed its appreciation to the government for establishing an Inter-Ministerial Committee. This committee is tasked with investigating the underlying causes of this disaster and formulating preventative measures to minimize the potential for similar incidents in the future.

    “Furthermore, NAGRAT encourages the government and all stakeholders to engage in transparent communication with the affected communities and to provide them with timely and accurate information regarding the ongoing response and recovery efforts. In times of crisis, clear and open lines of communication are vital to fostering trust and cooperation among all parties involved.”

  • NAGRAT calls for the abolishment of the double-track system

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) is advocating for the abolishment of the double-track system and the reinstatement of the academic calendar in second-cycle schools to the previous three-term structure.

    In 2018, the Ghanaian government introduced the double-track system as a response to the surge in demand for second-cycle education following the implementation of the Free Senior High School policy. However, NAGRAT argues that the existing double-track system brings about uncertainty and has a detrimental impact on the well-being of education workers. Currently, approximately 40 percent of second-cycle schools in the country continue to operate under this system.

    NAGRAT’s call for the removal of the double-track system reflects concerns about its effectiveness and the challenges it poses to the education sector, and the association is advocating for a return to the traditional three-term academic calendar to address these issues.

    Speaking at a press conference attended by national executive members of the association on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, President of NAGRAT, Angel Carbonu, stated, “The double track has brought about its attendant challenges and problems, especially for teachers. Teachers in schools were teaching across tracks, and as a result, most teachers in the senior high schools did not have holidays or rest periods. This situation puts untold and undue pressure on the staff of our schools.”

    He added, “what we are running right now is putting an untold burden on our teachers, who are regularly going to the hospital for care, and who are spending a significant portion of their meagre salaries to cater for themselves. Moreover, the current system lacks certainty in our schools, as parents and students cannot determine when schools would reopen or go on vacations.”

    Mr. Carbonu announced NAGRAT’s position, stating, “we call on the Ghana Education Service to revert the school term to three terms, change the period from one hour to 40 minutes, and ensure that we have schools based on the promise they made that the double track was going to end within five years.”

    He emphasised that in addition to teachers, non-teaching staff is also suffering under the current system, which forces them to work continuously throughout the year.

    Mr. Carbonu also issued a warning that the association would take further action if their demands were not met.

  • NAGRAT chastise authorities of Mampong St Monica’s SHS over death of student

    NAGRAT chastise authorities of Mampong St Monica’s SHS over death of student

    The National Graduates Association of Teachers (NAGRAT) has expressed displeasure over how authorities of a Senior High School handled an incident in the school which resulted in the death of one student.

    President of the group, Angel Carbonu, criticised the authorities of St. Monica’s Senior High School in Mampong, over the death of a female student.

    According to a news reports, the deceased was denied an exeat to go to the hospital by a house mistress, resulting in her untimely death.

    The report stated that the unfortunate incident happened in May 2023 thus the management of the school is being investigated.

    Angel Carbonu who has been devastated by the news, in an audio recording, furiously questioned why the management of the school could act in such a manner by denying a sick girl the access of going to the hospital for treatment.

    He said “A girl falls sick and comes for exeat to go to the hospital, the girl is shown to the house staff. And the girl was denied exeat, leading to the death of this girl. Now people are threatening brimstone against the Ghana Education Service, teachers are being insulted left-right, and center on local radio stations, and so on and so forth.

    “My colleagues, sometimes I don’t know what is wrong with us the teachers, drawing onto ourselves, problems, and challenges that no one compensates us for. If a student is sick, and there is evidence that the student is sick, and the student comes to you for an exeat, what on earth do you benefit from refusing an exeat for the student to go to the hospital? What do you stand to gain as a teacher for refusing to give exeat to a student to go to the hospital?”

    Angel Carbonu further explained that the issue of students being denied exeat to go for treatment or treat other important matters has been going on for a while and it must come to a halt.

    He also argued that teachers are the cause of their own troubles, adding that when they feel they are being overburdened by a lot of responsibilities, they should quit and allow a responsible person to take over.

    “We have reports where parents have come to the schools to take their own children home for this and that reason and school authorities will say I will not allow it. At the end of the day, when there is a problem, you want all of us to share the problem. How much are you being compensated for, for a job that is unnecessarily done by you? That people don’t even recognize? The story in Mampong is a very sad one. An innocent girl lost her life just because a house mistress refused to do her duty.

    “How can you say it’s not time for exeat and therefore whether you are sick or not, dying or not, I’m not going to give you exeat? Colleague teachers, sometimes we attract ourselves into invectives and negative expressions people make against us. If you feel that the housemistress job is too much for you, you can resign. There’s no need for this girl to die at St. Monica’s SHS at all,” he pointed out.

  • Not all textbooks on the market are approved by us – NaCCA

    Not all textbooks on the market are approved by us – NaCCA

    The Ghanaian National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) has emphasized that not all textbooks sold in Ghana have received the council’s approval.

    According to the Director General of NaCCA, Prof. Edwin Appiah, some publishers fail to get approval from the council before putting their books on the market for sale.

    This follows concerns raised by some parents and guardians that some textbooks with mistakes and are poorly written are on the market.

    Speaking on Citi TV’s Point of View show, Prof. Edwin Appiah advised parents to be careful of the books they purchase for their wards.

    “Most of the books out there have not been approved by NaCCA. The publishers falsely claim that their books are approved by GES and NaCCA, but this is a lie. These are some of the marketing gimmicks that publishers use.”

    President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Carbonu, however, said the sale of non-approved books is a result of the non-availability of approved books by NaCCA on the market.

  • NAGRAT urges govt to incorporate teacher unions in policy making process

    NAGRAT urges govt to incorporate teacher unions in policy making process

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has petitioned government to engage teacher unions in the creation of policy.

    The group explains that as an implementer of policies from the ministry, it is necessary to include its leaders for the intended purpose to be achieved.

    Speaking to Citi News, the Greater Accra General Secretary of NAGRAT, Peter Boateng, said this will prevent the opposition to reforms by teachers.

    “One of the issues we need to look at is the relationship between GES, the policy formulator and the teachers. It’s more or less a master-servant relationship, and it doesn’t promote acceptance of reforms. We think that at the conception stage of the policy, everybody is involved. Getting documents, and having meetings with them is always a problem.”

    “Nobody is willing to give information about what they are doing until they are done. When they are done, they call you for a meeting and do a PowerPoint presentation, and then they say they have consulted the unions,” Greater Accra General Secretary of NAGRAT stated.

  • Most public sector workers are poverty-stricken – NAGRAT president

    Most public sector workers are poverty-stricken – NAGRAT president

    President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Carbonu, has bemoaned the rate of poverty among public sector workers.

    He contends that while it is assumed that public sector workers take the largest chunk of government’s internally generated revenue, “the fact of the matter is that majority of public sector workers are impoverished in this country.”

    He was speaking on the recent Ghana Statistical Service report which had revealed that more than 80% of public sector workers earn less than 3,000 cedis, with the lowest salary being 418 cedis.

    According to Angel Carbonu, successive governments have refused to address the huge salary disparity in the public sector, and have rather pitted Ghanaians against the sector whenever there are demands for higher wages.

    “We’ve even made demands from government that whenever government makes a statement that public sector workers are taking this percentage of internally generated revenue, then we tell government ‘ok, let’s sit down, let’s disaggregate them into portions, and let’s see who actually in terms of numbers takes the huge quantum of the amount of the internally generated revenue, who actually takes what home and who is actually taking the bigger chunk of the pie,’” he said on JoyNews’ PM Express.

    He said when the breakdown is finally done, it would most likely be discovered that political appointees take quite a considerable chunk of the government’s fund as compared to the public sector worker.

    “For us, let us even see how much from the government kitty goes to these people and compare it to the public servant or the civil servant who has been working for the past 20 to 30 years and find out how much he or she also takes home, then you’ll begin to see the unfairness in how we dish out monies to people as compensation for work that they’ve done or work that they have not done.

    “This argument is always raised whenever government seems to excite the sympathy of the public to indicate that ‘o they’re taking this huge percentage of our internally generated revenue every year, therefore when they come to make demands, tell them they’re not entitled to what they make.’” he said.

    According to him, till the issue is appropriately addressed public sector workers will remain impoverished.

    “At the end of the day, the statistics show that public sector workers are taking huge chunk of the revenue, the fact of the matter is that majority of public sector workers are impoverished in this country,” he concluded.

    Source: myjoyonline

  • NAGRAT urges government to halt DDEP

    NAGRAT urges government to halt DDEP

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) is demanding that government be scraps off the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).

    Since securing a staff-level agreement with the IMF, the government has been working with stakeholders to get them to subscribe to the debt exchange programme.

    Some groups have fiercely kicked against the DDEP arguing that it will affect their livelihoods.

    Speaking to Citi News, NAGRAT President, Angel Carbonu urged government to halt the domestic debt exchange programme and explore alternative means of solving the country’s economic challenges

    “The DDEP shouldn’t have started at all, it’s a non-starter programme, the government should have looked for other innovative means to make up for its own balances. This DDEP thing is strange to our economic lexicon, now look at what is happening. Elderly citizens of this country who have sacrificed their lives are today those who are picketing at the Ministry of Finance. We will call on the government to abort the DDEP all together,” Mr. Carbonu appealed.

    The Finance Minister is scheduled to appear before Parliament on Thursday, February 16, 2023, to brief the House on the DDEP.

  • Labour unions kick against any ‘haircut’ on pension funds of workers

    Labour unions in the country have vowed to kick against any attempt by the government to reduce the value of pension funds of public sector workers.

    At a news conference on Monday, the President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Carbonu disclosed that the government on Friday held a meeting with various Fund Managers and announced its intention to reduce the values of investments of public sector workers due to the debt exchange programme.

    Mr. Carbonu said the labour unions have been shortchanged by this decision of government.

    He noted that NAGRAT and the other unions will resist the decision.

    “The teacher unions will not accept this. We are members of the forum made up of the public sector unions and we want to assure our members that we will resist this move by government by any means necessary…We will not under any circumstances be shortchanged by any government taking away any pensioner’s money,” he stated.

    This follows an announcement on Sunday, December 4, by the Finance Minister of a debt restructuring programme to put the country’s debt on a sustainable path.

    Mr. Ofori-Atta said the Debt Exchange Programme is part of a key requirement for the government to obtain an economic programme from the International Monetary Fund.

    According to him, treasury bills and individual bond holders will however, not be affected by the programme.

    Mr. Ofori-Atta also reiterated that there will be no ‘haircuts’ on the principal of bonds.

    However, domestic bond holders will be compelled to exchange their instruments for new ones.

    “Existing domestic bonds as of December 1, 2022, will be exchanged for a set of four new bonds maturing in 2027, 2029, 2032 and 2037.

    “The annual coupon on all of these new bonds will be set at 0% in 2023, 5% in 2024 and 10% in 2025 until maturity.

    “Coupon payments will be semi-annual,” the Minister explained.

    It is for this reason that the labour unions have stated their resolve not to accept any debt restructuring that will affect their investments adversely.

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • Review ban on corporal punishment or risk hike in indiscipline amongst youth -Methodist Rev to GES

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) has received criticism from Rev. Renault Amofa Danquah of the Asante Akyem Agogo Methodist Circuit for its prohibition on caning in elementary and senior high schools (SHS).

    Speaking at the Wob3tumi Career Seminar at Asante Akyem Kurofa, Rev. Amofa urged GES to reconsider its “no-cane in school” policy, claiming that it has currently increased indiscipline amongst students.

    As part of efforts to make pre-tertiary schools in the country safe and secure for teaching and learning, GES introduced the Safe Schools policy, which is explained as a school with zero tolerance for any form of violence such as bullying, sexual harassment, corporal punishment, and other forms of violence.

    In 2017, Ghana Education Service (GES) officially banned all forms of corporal punishment on children in schools as part of efforts to promote a safe and protective learning environment for children.

    However, the Akyem Rev is unhappy about the policy saying that if GES refuses to budge on its ban on caning, students would go wayward and the school’s role of instilling discipline and shaping character of students not only on academics would become a daunting task to do.

    He added that children were getting away with a lot of things in the schools in the name of child abuse by their teachers, who are supposed to be correcting them.

    Meanwhile, Founder of Matumi a Wob3tumi Career Seminar, Williams Amoako, also urged the youth in the country to strive hard for success, inculcating in
    themselves the “Can Do Spirit” and advised the youth to be focused and determined in pursuing their dreams.

    The ban was met with several concerns, with many saying the move would have a severe impact on the attitude of the youth.

    It is also on record that some stakeholders in education, like Mr Angel Carbonu, President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), have suggested that the increase in indiscipline in schools can be attributed to a relaxation of the school discipline policy, and that that directive needs to be reviewed.

    But Ghana’s education minister, Dr Yaw Adutuwm, thinks otherwise. He believes that, comparatively, canning “hasn’t gotten the Ghanaian student anywhere.”

    In agreement, an educationist and Christian counsellor, Dr. John Boakye, also pointed out that studies have shown that corporal punishment does not correct
    children or solve problems, it creates fear and hatred in them, which leads them to abuse others as a result.

     

  • Employment Ministry runs to Labour Commission over teachers’ strike

    The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations has referred the impasse between the government and the striking unions to the National Labour Commission.

    This comes after a second meeting between the parties involved on Monday to find a common ground ended in a stalemate.

    The teacher unions declared a sit-down strike on November 4, in protest of the appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah as the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service.

    They believe Dr. Nkansah does not have a satisfactory teaching background.

    The three unions on strike are the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana (CCT) have been on strike since November 4, 2022.

    The strike has generally disrupted academic work at pre-tertiary institutions.

    Speaking to Citi News on the referral of the matter to the National Labour Commission, the Secretary for the GNAT, Thomas Musah said the gesture does not show good faith.

    According to him, the development was unexpected because “the understanding social partners at the table had yesterday was that we would meet today at 2 pm to continue where we left off.”

    “For the Ministry of Labour Relations to refer this matter to the National Labour Commission simply means they have declared a deadlock.”

     

  • Teachers ambushing school kids with unfair strike – Afenyo-Markin

    The Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has implored the striking teachers to return to work after a strike to demand the removal of the new Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Dr. Eric Nkansah.

    Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Afenyo-Markin said the teachers were “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… I would want to appeal to the union leadership, especially because of the kids, to look again within.”

    The three unions, the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana (CCT) have been on strike since November 4, 2022.

    They are upset with the appointment as they believe Dr. Nkansah does not have a teaching background.

    The Deputy Majority Leader said their grievances were not serious enough to warrant the strike.

    “So far nothing has been raised against him [Dr. Nkansah],” Mr. Afenyo-Markin said.

    “They may be stretching their luck rather too far. We don’t need to break our shoulders over this matter.”

    “They will have to, in all humility, accept the man, give him the chance and assess his competence from there,” Mr. Afenyo-Markin added.

    He also felt the teachers should be happy with Dr. Nkansah’s diverse background, which comprises academia and banking.

    The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations has started engagements with the teachers to end the strike.

    Their meetings have so far been unable to resolve the teachers’ concerns.

     

  • Kumasi teachers return to work, defy strike in protest of new GES boss

    Some teachers at the Pre-tertiary level in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi, have defied the directive by the leadership of three teacher unions to embark on a nationwide strike.

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT) on 4th November declared a strike over the appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah as the new Director General of the Ghana Education Service.

    The teacher unions want President Akufo-Addo to revoke the appointment with immediate effect, insisting that Dr. Nkansah does not qualify to occupy the position.

    A visit by Citi News to some of the schools on Monday morning showed that many teachers were in class as academic work was going on smoothly.

    The authorities in those schools who spoke to Citi News on condition of anonymity said there has not been any formal communication for them to embark on the strike, hence their decision to go ahead with normal academic work.

    Some teachers however refused to go to class as they complied strictly with their leadership’s directive.

    The teachers who spoke on grounds of anonymity said, although they had their own reservations and do not necessarily agree with the leaders to embark on the strike, they felt there was a need to comply.

    Heads of various schools who spoke to Citi News said they are not under any obligation to compel the teachers to return to the classroom and as such, they have asked their students to be available for any teacher who decides to teach them.

    The Kumasi Technical University chapter of the Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana has also backed the appointment of Dr. Nkansah as the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service.

    The group insists that the credentials of Dr. Nkansah and his contributions to Ghana’s education sector make him fit for the job.

  • Teacher unions to meet Employment Ministry today over strike

    Negotiations between pre-tertiary teacher unions and the Labour Ministry are expected to continue today, Monday, November following failure of both parties to reach an agreement on Friday, November 4, 2022. 

    The teacher unions are calling for Eric Nkansah, the New GES director’s appointment, to be revoked, with a claim that he is unfit to hold that position since he is a banker and not an education. 

    The teacher unions namely Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers-Ghana (CCT-Gh), organised a press conference to declare their discontent over Dr Nkansah’s appointment and subsequently declared an industrial action which was to take effect from Friday. 

    However, the Labour Ministry called for a meeting with the aggrieved teachers. After deliberations, 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 starting today, Friday, November 4, 2022.

    Additionally, they raised concern about the one-year contract extension given to a 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, leadership of the teacher unions would not be able to control the actions or inaction of their members.”

    Dr Nkansah was appointed Director-General of the GES on Wednesday, October 19, 2022.

    His appointment came barely 48 hours after the previous Director-General of the Service, Prof Opoku-Amankwa, was relieved of his duties.

    A letter issued by the Presidency announcing the appointment said Mr Nkansah’s appointment took effect on October 19, 2022.  He was given fourteen days to accept or reject the appointment.

    “I am pleased to inform you that the President has appointed you to act as the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (the Service) pending receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the Governing Council of the Service, given in consultation with the Public Service Commission,” the letter signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante, said.

    The appointment is also “Pursuant to Section 19 (1), (2) (a) and (b) of the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act 1049),” the Presidency added.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • Resolve teacher unions, GES boss appointment saga now – Apaak to Akufo-Addo

    The Deputy Ranking Member of the Education Committee in Parliament, Dr. Clement Apaak has called on President Akufo-Addo to as a matter of urgency resolve issues on the appointment of the new Ghana Education Service Director-General.

    His comment comes on the back of three teacher unions having declared a strike action over the appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah.

    According to the Unions, their action has been occasioned due to the failure of the government to meet the deadline to terminate the appointment of Mr. Nkansah.

    The Unions are the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT-G).

    However, the deputy ranking member thinks President Akufo-Addo is adamant about the demands of the teachers’ unions.

    “Will Nana Addo keep the Acting Director General of GES to the detriment of the academic wellbeing of over 8 million Ghanaian pupils or students, whose about 400,000 teachers or masters are on strike in opposition to his appointment of Dr. Nkansah as Director General?

    According to the teacher unions, Dr. Nkansah is a banker and not a professional teacher.

    “The Teacher Unions did not only register their protest but also, found it unacceptable for a Banker to be appointed as a Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, GES, instead of an Educationist at a time when many teachers who did the same courses and related ones were rejected by GES.

    “Because it is not related to education we stated that both the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service, should apologize to teachers for accepting the very qualification they rejected when teachers presented them,” they demanded in a statement dated November 4, 2022.

     

     

  • New GES boss has no teaching experience – NAGRAT rejects new GES Boss

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) is against the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah as the new Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES).

    According to the association, Dr Eric Nkansah is a banker who has no background in teaching hence the reason they reject his appointment.

    Addressing a press conference in Accra on Thursday, October 20, the President of NAGRAT, Angel Carbonou, said the appointment of the banker comes as a surprise as he is also a special assistant in the office of the minister.

    “What annoyed and surprised all of us was that a new Director General has been appointed to the Ghana Education Service.

    “The authority to appoint Director General of GES is the President of the land. Unfortunately, contrary to what the teacher unions indicated that we would want a Director General who is a professional teacher who has passed through the mill and can bring his knowledge, skills and influence to bear on the activities of teachers and non-teachers in the GES.

    “Contrary to that, the gentleman who was appointed yesterday is not a teacher; he is a banking officer who was a special assistant in the office of the minister and has been appointed as the DG of the GES. We are not happy with this development; it is as of we don’t have professionals and well-educated people who have gone through the mill in education in this country to run education,” the association said at the press conference.

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo appointed Dr. Eric Nkansah to act as the new Director-General of the Ghana Education Service.

    His appointment takes effect Wednesday, October 19, 2022. The appointment, according to a statement signed by Secretary of the President, Nana Asante Bediatuo, is in consonance with Section 19 (1), (2) (a) and (b) of the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act 1049).

    He is expected to either accept or decline the appointment within fourteen days.

    “Pursuant to Section 19 (1), (2) (a) and (b) of the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act 1049), I am pleased to inform you that the President has appointed you to act as the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (the “Service”) pending receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the governing Council of the Service, given in consultation with the Public Services Commission.

    “Your appointment Is effective October 19, 2022. I take this opportunity to congratulate you formally on your appointment. Kindly indicate your acceptance or otherwise of this appointment, within 14 days of receipt of this letter,” the letter read in part.

    Dr Eric Nkansah will take over from Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, whose contract was terminated and, thus, was subsequently redeployed to his previous position at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

     

  • I’m highly grateful – Opoku-Amankwa tells GES staff after termination of his appointment

    A former Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, says he is grateful for the “numerous” goodwill messages and prayers he has been receiving since his appointment was terminated by the president.

    “What gladdens my heart is that the messages are not dirges… I highly appreciate your unfathomable love to me,” he wrote in a letter to directors and staff of GES.

    He took the opportunity to express gratitude to everyone who supported him during his tenure to change the faces of pre-tertiary education and the Service, saying “we worked as a team.”

    President Akufo-Addo – in a letter dated October 17, 2022 – terminated the appointment of Prof Opoku-Amankwa and directed him to resume his position at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

    One of the reasons cited for the decision was that “the exigencies that required [his] skills and expertise as Director-General of the Ghana Education Service do not exist any longer.”

    Barely two days after his sacking, the president announced the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah as acting Director-General of the Service.

    His appointment took effect from Wednesday, October 19, 2022, pending receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the governing Council of the Service.

    But Prof Opoku-Amankwa says he is excited at the “soothing and reassuring” words from the GES staff and the public.

    “I wish to take this opportunity to thank every one of you for your dedication and the extremely good work relationship that existed between us.

    You supported me in many ways to enhance my resumé to bring it to a distinguishing first class, world class CV, and I am highly grateful to you all,” he added.

    Disappointment

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) says it is worried about President Akufo-Addo’s dismissal of the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES).

    According to NAGRAT, the development is disappointing.


    The President of the Association, Angel Carbonu, in a media interview on Tuesday, said it also has left his members overwhelmingly disappointed.

    “This is very disappointing. We are surprised because we had someone who was able to build a very positive relationship and rapport with the union,” Mr Carbonu said.

    Source: Myjoyonline.com

  • ‘We don’t want banker as GES D-G; he’s not qualified, remove him now’ – NAGRAT tells Akufo-Addo

     

    President Akufo-Addo must immediately withdraw the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah as the acting director-general of the Ghana education service, the National Association of Graduate Teachers has demanded.

    Dr Nkansah’s appointment will be made permanent after the advice of the Governing Council of the GES and the Public Services Commission.

    A letter from the office of the president announcing his appointment said Dr Nkansah is expected to indicate his acceptance of the role within 14 days.

    He replaces Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa whose services, the government said, were no longer needed.

    However, the teacher unions say they are not happy with their new boos.

    “The teacher unions started press conferences yesterday [Wednesday, 19 October 2022]. I did mine yesterday and this morning, my brothers in GNAT were supposed to do theirs until there was a development that annoyed and surprised all of us; that a new director-general has been appointed to the Ghana education service”, the President of NAGRAT, Mr Angel Carbonu told journalists at a press conference.

    He said: “The authority to appoint a director-general is the president of the land. Unfortunately, contrary to what the teacher unions indicated – that we would want a director-general who is a professional teacher, who has passed through the mill, who can bring his knowledge, skills and influence to bear on the activities of teachers and non-teachers in the Ghana education service, contrary to that, the gentleman who was appointed yesterday, is not a teacher”.

    “He is a banking officer who was a special assistant in the office of the minister, and has been appointed as the director-general of the Ghana education service”, he indicated.

    “We are not happy with this development. It is as if we don’t have professionals and well-educated people who have gone through the mill in education in this country, to run education”, Mr Carbonu added.

    He bemoaned: “It is as if we are being told that we, educationists in the Ghana education service, are not good to manage education in this country.

    We are calling on the president to rescind this decision; that the gentleman who has been appointed, is not qualified by any standard, to be the director-general of the Ghana education service”.

    Mr Carbonu said Dr Nkansah is an outlier.

    “If you look at the history of directors-general of the Ghana education service, they are either senior officers within the Ghana education service or professors from universities who have an education background and we can take them one after the other and you’ll see and know their credentials”.

    “The gentleman who has been appointed is qualified as a banking officer, who has done some small stints of teaching with Kumasi Polytechnic in those days”.

    “When the minister was appointed, he became a special assistant to the minister and does not have any credentials or qualification to be director-general of the Ghana education service”.

    The union of teachers demanded the withdrawal of Dr Nkansah’s appointment.

    “We are calling for his removal, he is not qualified to be director-general of the Ghana education service and his presence will not motivate professionals who have been in this Service for more than 20 to 30 years and have risen to higher ranks within the Ghana education service”.

  • We’ll not be bullied to call off teachers’ strike – Carbonu

    The President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Carbonu says the striking teacher unions will not fall for the use of pressure to get them to return to the classrooms.

    He said the teacher unions are poised to remain on strike until the government pays them the 20% cost of living allowance.

    Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Carbonu said should a court action be triggered against the teacher unions to compel them to rescind their strike decision, they will fight to set aside the injunction.

    “If they go to court to get an injunction, we will organize, go to court and set that injunction aside. When you go to court ex-parte, you have not given opportunity for the judge to listen to the other group. This time, if they go to court ex-parte, we will ask our legal people the next day to go to court to set that ex-parte injunction aside,” he said.

    NAGRAT, and three other teacher unions currently on strike went into a meeting with the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations and other stakeholders on Wednesday, July 6, 2022, over their demands for 20% COLA.

    But the meeting ended inconclusively.

    Carbonu said the teacher unions remain committed to engagement with government to resolve the issue.

    “They indicated that they will be inviting us [soon]. We told them if they invite us, we will be there but for now, the strike continues,” he said.

    The teachers are fighting for the payment of between 20% and 30% of their salaries as a Cost of Living Allowance.

    The allowance according to the teachers will cushion them from current economic conditions and the worsening plight of teachers.

    The National Labour Commission in a statement urged the teachers to rescind their decision to make way for negotiations.

    Source:citinewsroom.com

     

  • NAGRAT pushes for 19% minimum wage hike

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has asked the Tripartite Committee negotiating for a national minimum wage to come out with a wage pegged at the current inflation rate.

    According to the National President of NAGRAT, Mr. Angel Carbonu, everywhere in the world, minimum wages are pegged to inflation rates.

    “How do you expect workers to survive when the price of everything has doubled in the last couple of months?” he quizzed.

    He added that even the cost of government services has gone up.

    “So, how are workers expected to survive in the wake of these increments and rising inflation leading to price hikes?”

    It is in view of this that Mr. Carbonu said NAGRAT is pushing for a 19 percent increase in the yet-to-be-announced minimum wage to cushion workers in these hard times.

    Mr. Cabonu said this in an interview on Accra-based Joy FM.

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • NAGRAT fights Education Ministry over interference in solely GES matters

    National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) is up in arms with the Ministry of Education over its latest interference in the matters that should ordinarily be handled by the Ghana Education Service (GES).

    President of NAGRAT Mr. Angel Kabonu wonders why the Ministry must advertise for consideration of positions for headmasters and the likes when that falls within the mandate of the GES.

    “There are a lot of issues in the educational sector that must be addressed but we are all pretending as though there are no issues. One of them is the decision by the Ministry of Education to appoint headmasters and headmistresses and they are starting with STEM schools but the Ministry has no power to appoint headmasters or headmistress.”

    He said, “It is the function of the Ghana Education Service (GES), the GES has that power to appoint headmasters and headmistresses, not the Ministry of Education.”

    He further called on the Ministry of Education to withdraw the advertisement inviting applicants to apply for the position of headmaster or headmistress.

    “So, the advertisement brought by the Ministry inviting applicants to apply to be headmasters and headmistress in STEM schools should be withdrawer by the Ministry immediately,” Mr. Carbonou said.

    Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education is yet to respond to a two-week ultimatum by NAGRAT for the withdrawal of the advertisement and allow the GES which has the sole prerogative to take charge.

    Source: mynewsgh.com

  • It is not the duty of MoE to appoint headteachers NAGRAT President

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has said the Ministry of Education (MoE) has no power to appoint headteachers and headmistresses for schools in Ghana.

    This follows claims by NAGRAT that the MoE had advertised positions for prospective headteachers.

    According to the President of NAGRAT, Angel Carbonu, it is the duty of the Ghana Education Service(GES) to appoint headteachers and headmistresses, not the Ministry.

    Speaking at the press conference held in Accra on Thursday, 17 February 2022, the President of NAGRAT said: “There are a lot of issues in the educational sector that must be addressed but we are all pretending as though there are no issues.

    “One of them is the decision by the Ministry of Education to appoint headmasters and headmistresses and they are starting with STEM schools but the Ministry has no power to appoint headmasters or headmistress.”

    He added: “It is the function of the Ghana Education Service (GES), the GES has that power to appoint headmasters and headmistresses, not the Ministry of Education.”

    The NAGRAT President, therefore, called on the MoE to withdraw the advertisement inviting applicants to apply.

    “So the advertisements brought by the Ministry inviting applicants to apply to be headmasters and headmistress in STEM schools should be withdrawer by the Ministry immediately,” Mr. Carbonu stated.

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • NAGRAT demands 25% increase in base pay for 2021

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) wants the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to immediately begin negotiations on the base pay for 2021.

    The government in 2019 increased the base pay on the Single Spine Salary Structure by 12% across board for the year 2020.

    This increased the rate from GH¢9.10 per day in 2019 to GH¢10.19 in 2020.

    Speaking to Citi News, the President of NAGRAT, Angel Carbonu, who lamented the poor conditions of service of public sector workers, said the current economic hardships demanded a twenty-five percent increment for the 2021 base pay.

    “We are calling on the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the Public Sector Joint negotiations committee as a whole to quickly reconvene for us to negotiate the base pay for 2021. As a union, we will not shy away from indicating that looking at the economic situation and the challenges that Ghanaian teachers face we will negotiate the base pay for 2021 with a 21% increment. So NAGRAT is calling on all stakeholders to arrange a meeting to discuss this.”

    Mr. Carbonu also called for the review of transfer grants for teachers.

    “Somebody is just indicating that when you are transferred below 50 kilometres, you are not paid transfer grants. I do not know who negotiated that, workers did not negotiate that. Workers are transferred without accommodation packages. Somebody is introducing a certain strange clause. We want to find out who did and when it was because it seems workers are being taken advantage of.

    Source: citinewsroom

  • Return to the classroom or lose your salaries NLC orders Teachers

    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.

    Read: Ignore your leaders, go to work GES board chair to teachers

    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.

    Read: Please return to the classrooms PTA begs teachers

    “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.”

    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.”

     

    Source: Kasapafmonline.com

  • GES shocked by ‘illegitimate’ Teacher Unions strike

    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.

    Read: GNAT, NAGRAT, CCT declare strike over delay in releasing their arrears

    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 9 action.

    They, therefore, directed all members to stay out of classrooms across the country in protests of the “sufferings” endured “as a result of the negligence.”

    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.

    Read: Workers of Meridian Port Services on strike

    “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.”

    Read the full statement below:

     

    Source: myjoyonline 

  • NAGRAT declares indefinite strike

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has declared indefinite strike to push for the payment of the salary arrears of their members, which they claim, has been in arrears for three years.

    President of NAGRAT, Angel Carbonu, also raised concerns about delays in reinstating teachers who have completed their study leave, something he blamed on the human resources management information systems (HRMIS).

    Read: Former NAGRAT president slams GES over inconsistencies, lack of direction

    At a news conference Thursday to declare the strike, Mr Carbonu said the HRMIS also raised concern about the nonpayment of allowances for additional services rendered by teachers and expiration of their collective bargaining agreement.

    On the back of these issues, he has asked its members “who are yet to reopen” to “stay away from the school premises even when they reopen”.

     

    Source: peacefmonline.com