Three Teacher Unions, made up of Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT), have issued a three-week ultimatum to the government to address outstanding promises.
The teacher unions in a press statement indicated that the Collective Agreement signed on 24th May 2024 included initiating negotiations on the Deprived Area Allowance by the Minister for Education within one month of signing the agreement, resolution of promotions from Deputy Director (DD) to Director II (DII) and then to Director I (DI) by September 2024 have still not be done.
The union further stated that other issues include salary disparities within the Ghana Education Service (GES) for employees at the Deputy Director level and below, the delayed delivery of TM1 laptops for which deductions have already been made from teachers’ salaries, and 12 months of unpaid Tier-2 pension contributions.
“The teacher unions have observed with great concern the uneasy calm and agitations by teachers owing to the display of lukewarm attitude to the directives by the National Labour Commission, NLC and the feet-dragging by the government on the concerns of teachers, which has culminated into serious anger and agitations at the grassroots,” portion of the statement read.
The unions have set a deadline of 16 September 2024 for the government to address these issues, warning that failure to do so will prompt further action.
“We call on the GES and the Ministry of Education and all the duty bearers to act swiftly to save the precarious and difficult situation currently confronting teachers by the close of Monday, September 16, 2024. If by close of the said date we do not receive any favourable response, we shall determine the next line of action,” the statement added.
