*Teacher in Ghana are currently working with ‘Conditions of Service ‘,a situation that started since 2012.The Collective Agreement between (GNAT) and government (GES Council) expired way back in December, 31, 2012.
In a statement issued by the National Secretariat of the All Teachers Alliance Ghana (ATAG),it has indicated that since 2012,the Collective Bargaining Agreement has not been renewed and the teacher unions currently do not have a Collective Agreement with government.
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“It is incumbent on the government and on us the unions to press home the signing of this agreement. It is surprising that GNAT which holds the bargaining power had not updated teachers across the country on the progress of event as they unfold.”the statement said.
ATAG believes government is much interested in providing teacher trainees with allowances and rather overlooking the larger picture of many desperations that have engulfed the profession ranging from meagre salary, poor retention premium to allowances.
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In the run up to the 2016 elections, the government pledged his commitment of promoting the higher interest of teachers by beginning from the payment of teacher trainees’ allowances. This was what the government then in opposition said:
_“I want a Ghana that has equal opportunities for all its citizens and provides quality education to ensure a skilled workforce that can compete in the globalized economy. When we talk about restoring allowances for teacher trainees, for example, it is not because it is a vote catching strategy; it is an integral part of restoring dignity to the teaching profession.”
The Teacher Union is appealing to the government that the marginalization that spins their profession is so obvious that apparently there is little hope for the teacher looking into the future.
“The quality of education is a correlation between teacher development and greater welfare and children good performance. If the government focus is on the quality of children that receive education in our country, then he must understand that teachers must be treated well going forward.”it emphasized.
According to ATAG, it wants the government to in addition to bringing different policies and reforms, as a matter of urgency table down proper conditions of service for teachers which will at least bring them the dignity the government has always been trumpeting.
President Nana Addo said this in the manifesto of NPP in the run up to the 2016 elections:
_”I want a Ghana where our young people can feel and be confident of a vibrant future. I want a Ghana where hard work pays and competence rewarded. I want our farmers, fisher folk, traders, teachers, drivers, mechanics, students, nurses, carpenters, artisans, professionals, hair dressers and tailors, and everybody trying to earn a living to feel their efforts are appreciated and they are able to prosper in their chosen fields. I want a Ghana where honest labour is remunerated with honest returns.” the statement said.
“We want to emphasize categorically that teachers have been left out of this honest returns the president was referring to. The Single Spine Salary Structure did not favour teachers because our retention premium is poor as compared to other professions and we have been deliberately been left out of the Category 2 and 3 allowances captured in the policy.” it said.
“Education in Ghana revolves around teachers and if care is not taking, the current trend of fallen standard will continue to sink further. We do not abhor licensing of teachers or operationalizing the profession to promote sanity but we think leaving teachers out in this regard create more room for knee-jerk performance of various positive educational policies.”the union said .
All Teachers Alliance Ghana (ATAG) is calling on the government in all sincerity and humbleness, not for the course of achieving political capital or giving arsenals to his opponents, but to give the teaching profession a facelift by focusing on raising the standard of living of teachers through additional reforms that will better our conditions of service.
The union indicated that Government should not forget that teachers pay utility bills, boarding, rent etc from this same meagre salary they receive from government.
Source :EducationGhana.net