GNAT, NAGRAT & CCT send urgent notice to teachers on strike action against appointment of new GES D-G

Teacher Unions in pre-tertiary education (GNAT, NAGRAT and CCT-GH) have sent an urgent notice to teachers across the country on strike action against the appointment of Ghana Education Service (GES) Director-General Dr. Eric Nkansah.

In a wireless notice, the Teacher Unions have directed teachers to stay away from work indefinitely until they hear from the union leaders.

Reiterating the position of the Teacher Unions, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), in a statement wishes to inform the rank and file of its members that effective Friday, 4th November, 2022, GNAT and the other Teacher Unions hereby declare an indefinite strike over the appointment of the new Director-General of GES and other issues related to the teachers’ conditions of service.

Mr. Thomas T. Musah, the General Secretary of GNAT indicated that, “You are therefore advised to stay away from work indefinitely until you hear from us your union leaders”

According to GNAT, none of its members should go to work as they continue negotiations until further notice.

Meanwhile, Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT-GH) on the other hand directed its members to equally stay home until issues of laptop, promotion, upgrading, allowances and Dr. Eric Nkansah appointment as discussed by the Unions are resolved.

National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) also encouraged its members across the country to heed to the directive from the Unions untill the right thing is done, in the best interest of the teacher.

BACKGROUND

The three teacher unions in Pre-tertiary education; GNAT, NAGRAT and CCT-GH have declared indefinite strike over appointment of a banker, Dr. Eric Nkansah as Director-General of Ghana Education Service (GES) and contract extension of Lawyer Anthony Boateng as Deputy Director-General of GES among others.

The Union indicated that, the position of Director-General of the Ghana Education Service is the preserve of Educationist, and has been occupied by Educationists since its creation in the 1970s, and remained as such, even under the military regime.

Giving more details, the Teacher Unions disclosed that, since the creation of the Ghana Education Service (GES), a total of seventeen (17) Directors-General were appointed. Out of this number, five (5) were professors from the academia who were known to have operated in the education space. The rest were all higher officers of the Ghana Education Service and remained as such even under the military regime.

GNAT, NAGRAT and CCT-GH noted that, appointment of a Banker instead of Educationist is a manifestation of lack of confidence in teachers to manage their own affairs and disregard to the established scheme of service and progression within the GES.

With Mr. Anthony Boateng, the Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service who was granted one more year contract extension, GNAT Council still opposes the said contract extension, and thereby sounds a note of caution, that they would vehemently and vigorously resist any attempt to bring Mr. Anthony Boateng back into the system, and that the consequences of any such attempt may be too dire to handle.

Unfortunately, government also failed to heed to the calls from the Union leaders.

At a press conference held on Friday, 4th November, 2022, the Teacher Unions said, they were compelled under the current circumstances to publicly communicate to Ghanaians on their intention to go on strike having reached the November 4, 2022 deadline they gave government.

Consequently, the Unions have decided to embark on strike from today, Friday, November 4, 2022.

By this, GNAT, NAGRAT and CCT-GH are informing the general public that they are withdrawing their services in all the pre-tertiary education institutions.

Read below, the statement signed by Thomas T. Musah – GNAT Secretary, Angel Carbonu – president of NAGRAT and  King Ali Awudu – president of CCT-GH

SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh