Teachers haven’t call for closure of schools – Education Ministry reacts to Prof. Adei

The Ministry of Education under the supervision of Hon. Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh has replied Prof Stephen Adei’s proposal for a 50% deduction in salary of public school teachers who deliberately want to remain in the comfort of their homes due to the closure of schools in the midst of the deadly Coronavirus pandemic.

Responding to the proposal made by Professor Stephen Adei, the Deputy Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Education Mr. Kwasi Obeng-Fosu categorically said, pre-tertiaey teachers will not be subjected to a drop in their salary. According to him, the teachers have not initiated the closure of schools, hence, the decision to cut down their salary is unacceptable and must be discarded.

You will recall that, the outstanding Professor during Joy News’ Upfront on Thursday, 20th May, 2020 has proposed a 50% drop in salary of “angry” teachers who without any reason will like to continue to stay at home when schools reopened without reporting to school to continue academic activities.

Professor Emeritus of the Ashesi University made his statement in connection with some teacher unions, teachers, Parents Teachers Association (PTA), some teachers and parents disagreement with the Ghana Education Service’s proposal to engage education managers leading to reopening of schools should the president lift the ban on social gathering come 31st May, 2020.

The Deputy Public Relations Officer added that, the teachers did not disagree to return to the classroom neither have they issued a statement of their willingness to continue to stay at home, but the teachers only express worry on the decision to reopen schools in the midst of the Coronavirus Pandemic. That, he said cannot warrant a 50% drop in their salaries.

You will remember that, following the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus pandemic in Ghana, president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has ordered for the closure of schools on Sunday, 15th March, 2020 and subsequently extended the ban to ending of May, 2020. Since then, schools have not reopened.