GES: Chase for better condition of service; Illusion of change -Jerry Akporhor
Pre-tertiary education teacher unions in Ghana
One of the Lead Educators at Informed Teachers Network (ITN), Hon. Jerry Akporhor has detailed the overview of Ghana Education Service (GES) on the radar of fighting for better condition of service for teachers under the title “Chase for better condition of service; Illusion of change”.
Hon. Akporhor poured that “this fight for better conditions of service has been ongoing since before independence. They have always been using the same formula and getting obvious result and still continue to do so.”
He went chronological explaining how the teacher associations emerged and how they have failed teachers after giving mouthing promise to fight for what is due them.
“GNAT was doing it alone; a group of graduate teachers felt disappointed because they claimed there were specific needs pertaining to them that weren’t attended to.
“NAGRAT was formed to fight for the needs of these colleagues who were university graduates at the time, since the majority of teachers were holding certificate A. It wasn’t long before they also started behaving just like GNAT, nothing different. They later opened their membership to accommodate all.
“CCT came on the back of the single spine. It was a temporary pressure group formed to fight and address discrepancies in the single spine pay policy. After the fight, they turned it into a teacher union. One of their major campaigns was that GNAT and NAGRAT didn’t know how to negotiate, and they were going to do it better.
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“They would look for consultants and pay them to do the negotiation. Today, the CCT president himself is at the negotiation table. They have successfully joined the table of men. Hypocrisy.
“Isn’t it amazing how the three have merged into one and are doing the same things? It’s business as usual.
“Innovative Teachers came. It came with the vision of encouraging and teaching teachers Innovative ways of building wealth to turn their lives around. It is struggling to gain membership despite making its dues as low as 5gh. We are not used to that kind of messages. We want the sensationalism of strike and demonstrations instead.
“ATAG also came. Nothing different. They are also struggling to gain membership. Now, they seem to be out of the scene
Advising colleagues, Hon. Jerry Akporhor urged his fellow teachers not to succumb to emotional game the teacher associations play.
“I don’t know how to say this diplomatically. Don’t be *fuuled by this emotional game. Be a patriotic union member and do as expected of you, but with fewer expectations. The government doesn’t really care about you but the work you will do for them. The union leaders don’t care about you but your dues. And of course, they have to play some of these games to make you feel like they are working.”
“Truth be told, you are exactly where they want you to be. If you are putting your hope in them, you are setting yourself up for frustration and regret. If you see anyone busily defending union actions, know that they are holding local positions and aiming to join the table of men soon. Have you ever heard them going on strike before because of salary? No! There’s enough to feed on.
“Just play along and honestly look at your life. Think and talk more about ways to turn your story around and start taking those actions. If you disagree with me, you are right. If you agree too, you are right. I’m just a messenger.
SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh
