Appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah as GES Director-General; the Beef of Teachers

The appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah as the Director-General of Ghana Education Service (GES) has been fiercely resisted by teachers and their unions; GNAT, NAGRAT and CCT-GH.

This has culminated into a  nationwide strike declared by the teacher unions due to government’s refusal to listen. And has got many saying the Director-General rank does not necessarily need to be an educationist before he/she performs the job.

The pro-Eric Nkansah, including the minster of education, believe that the work of the Director-General of GES is more administrative than of education hence the teachers had no real issue. He thinks Dr. Eric Nkansah has taught at the basic school, senior high school and as a lecturer.

The question we all must ask is, he taught as what, a professional teacher with requisite training or as a pupil teacher with no training? This certainly is borne out of ignorance or insistence of doing wrong.

The Ghana Education Service has a scheme of service which spells clearly the grades, ranks, methods of appointments and the mode of progression that every teacher must go through.

It is imperative to note that the Director-General is a rank that active teachers, having the required skills, experience, and having studied the recommended courses by GES standard rise to.

In this case, Dr Eric Nkansah is not a teacher and is not on any rank in the GES, so from which rank did he progress to the DG?

Here are the ranks that teachers must rise through to become a DG of the GES.

In order of descendency we have;

1. Director General

2. Deputy-Director

3. Assistant Director I

4. Assistant Director II

5. Principal Superintendent

6. Senior Superintendent I

7. Senior Superintendent II,

8. Superintendent II

9. Superintendent I

10. Teacher

On which rank  of these ranks, was Dr Eric Nkansah? It is worthy of note that it takes about four years for a teacher to progress to the next rank. The stress alone…!

The appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah therefore comes as a disincentive for those who toiled, studied and gathered rich experiences to reach the Director-General rank only for a banker to come and occupy that post.

It is verdict of no confidence in the teachers. It is disrespectful to the teachers. It shows the low level of seriousness the minster of education attaches to the teaching profession.

Imagine a teacher with no legal or law background is appointed the Director of the Judicial Service?

This feeds into the notion that teaching is easy and any non professional at all can teach. No!

Kombat Chris

SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh