Teachers petition NTC, GES over promotion aptitude test
NTC Registrar Christian Addai-Poku (PhD) and GES Director-General Dr. Eric Nkansah
Information available to Coverghana.com.gh has confirmed that, over 348 Ghanaian teachers have petitioned the National Teaching Council (NTC) and Ghana Education Service (GES) over 2022 promotion aptitude test.
The petition was against the deliberate attempt by NTC and GES for forcefully placing teachers in North Tongu, Central Tongu and South Tongu of the Volta Region under Hohoe venue for the GES promotion aptitude test.
Teachers from the three Districts; North Tongu, Central Tongu and South Tongu have signed the petitioned to NTC and GES to immediately change Hohoe centre as the venue for the promotion aptitude test for them.
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According to the over 348 aggrieved teachers, Hohoe as a venue is the farthest centre among all the centres where the aptitude test is written.
Aside the 348 teachers who officially signed the petition, over 50 more teachers have expressed support and solidarity without signing the petition.
They explain that, there are centres which are within 50km from North Tongu District, but the National Teaching Council (NTC) and its assigns have placed the teachers in the North Tongu District at Hohoe which is about 192km away.
Many teachers have narrated harrowing experiences at Hohoe. Lack of accommodation is the main obstacle there since teachers must pass the night to be able to write the exam at this venue.
Most teachers claim that, they had to sleep on tables and chairs last year in classroom just to write an hours paper the following day.
For three years since they have been making appeals to Ghana Education Service and National Teaching Council to either create a center in any of the three Tongu Districts (North Tongu, Central Tongu and South Tongu) or at least allow the teachers to be writing at Peki (28.4km), Ada (52km) or Akatsi (59km), their plea has fallen on deaf ears.
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Some of the teachers have expressed their surprise as how the National Teaching Council (NTC) cannot create a window on the promotion application form for teachers to select their own venues instead of placing teachers arbitrarily at any center!
The petition sent to the office of the Director-General of GES through the North Tongu District Education Directorate and Volta Regional Education Directorate said, “we, the undersigned teachers in North Tongu District, Volta region, herewith petition your good office to cause the NTC to reconsider the above decision because we believe that the officers behind it erred”
The teachers further said, this erroneous decision is causing them extreme inconvenience due to the peculiar nature of the terrain of North Tongu and the long distance involved in travelling to Hohoe which is 192.5km away.
“Teachers from our district are always compelled to spend the night in Hohoe a day before the less than 2 hours test and many among us such as nursing mothers and pregnant ladies go through very dehumanizing experiences before
writing the promotion test.”
“Meanwhile, the following venues are close by which would serve us well in North Tongu. Ada and Akatsi Colleges of Education are 52km and 59km away respectively from
Battor. Peki College of Education is 28.4km away from Juapong.”
“We further want to state that the GES and NTC should consider setting up a center at either Adidome Senior High School or Sogakope Senior High School to serve teachers in the following five (5) districts in Southern Volta: North Tongu, South Tongu, Central Tongu, Adaklu and Agotime – Ziope.”
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The teachers again said, they find it a disservice and an injustice that there is no centre in the vast area mentioned above and are therefore over stressed to travel all the way to Hohoe.
“We again state that we, the teachers in North Tongu should not be lumped together and place under any of the existing venues because of the problem of crossing the Volta River.”
“Teachers in and around Juapong enclave (North Eastern side of the Volta River) would find it convenient if they are placed at Peki College of Education, while those at Battor, Mepe and Aveyime (South Western side of the Volta River) would be comfortable going to Ada or
Akatsi.”
The aggrieved teachers in North Tongu in same petition copied to Teacher Unions said, “We are eagerly looking forward to a speedy solution to our grievance. Thanks for your attention.”
Attached is the full petition with 348 teachers who signed.
SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh
