Teachers’ unions urged to unite
The three teachers’ unions in Ghana, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) have been urged to come together to form one formidable teachers’ union under a new name, the Amalgamated Teachers Union (ATU), in order that they may speak with one strong voice.
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A retired educationist and former headmaster of the Okuapeman Senior High School, Mr Felix Essah Hienno, made the suggestion in a presentation he gave as guest speaker at this year’s Eastern Region World Teachers Day Celebration which was held at New Akrade in the Asuogyaman District.
World Teachers Day is celebrated each year to create awareness of the contributions that teachers make to education and national development.
The celebration in Ghana this year was on the theme; “Unite for Quality Education”.
Mr Essah Hienno called for unity among the teachers’ unions and harmony between the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Ministry of Education (MOE), as well as other stakeholders in education without which providing quality education in the country would only be a mirage.
He explained that even though the 1992 Constitution guaranteed freedom of association, including the freedom to form or join a trade union or organisation of one’s choice, it still remained that if the three teacher’s unions did not merge, their efforts to forge for improved conditions might not be fully realised.
Mr Essah Hienno stressed the need for the Ghana Education Service to endeavour to supply schools with the needed tools and logistics such as chalk, attendance registers, teachers lesson notebooks, text books and other teaching and learning materials in good time for teaching and learning to go on smoothly.
He said non-payment of transfer grants and other legitimate allowances and claims, including promotion arrears and incremental credits were disincentive to the teachers and prayed the GES to pay such allowances and claims with dispatch.
He was not happy with the current situation where teachers could not express their views freely on topical issues in education unless they sought clearance from the GES.
“This culture of silence which is slapped on teachers is no doubt an affront to Article 21 (1) of the 1992 constitution which legitimises freedom of speech and expression. The GES should reconsider this stance to avoid being hauled before the law courts” he said.
Mr Essah Hienno, however, urged the teachers to be guided by their professional training and work hard to bring about qualitative education that would meet the challenges of the 21st century.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Antwi Bosiako Sekyere, urged teachers to exhibit professionalism and let their impact to be felt more, especially at this time when their services were most needed.
He said no government could adequately compensate teachers for their services but, however, assured them that they would be appropriately rewarded and motivated to do more.
The Asuogyaman District Director of Education, Madam Mavis Oparebea Yirenkyi, who chaired the function, stressed the need for other stakeholders, including parents, to lend their support to the delivery of qualitative education in the country.