By Kingsley Nana Buadu
An Educational consultant, Samuel Yaw Oduro-Asabere, is advocating an urgent compensation package for teachers on the double-track system, which has run for the past seven (7) years.
He has again called on the government and teacher unions to urgently conclude the new conditions of service for teachers to address some disparities in the allowances and other benefits due teachers.
Mr. Yaw Oduro-Asabere made the advocacy at the 7th Quadrennial Delegates Conference of the Ghana National Association of Teachers’ branch at New Edubiase in the Adansi East Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
The theme for the Conference is “The Ghana Education Service at 50: Achievements, Teacher Motivation, Challenges and the Way Forward”.
According to the guest speaker, who is an educational consultant and CEO of Students, Testing Services in Cape Coast, Samuel Yaw Oduro-Asabere, higher teacher motivation is strongly linked to improved student learning outcomes and involves the willingness, drive and the desire to engage in effective teaching practices.
Mr. Yaw Oduro-Asabere highlighted low remuneration, stress imposed on teachers, indiscipline among students and poor working environment, and major challenges teachers face.
“Stakeholders must come out with new disciplinary measures to curb the growing indiscipline among students in the senior high schools, most especially on weapons and mobile use,” he stressed.
The National Vice Chairperson of GNAT, Madam Amanda Lucy Asamoah, refuted claims that GNAT has been in bed with governments over the years, hence their inability to ensure that teachers are given what is due to them.
According to her, GNAT has not been in bed with any government but rather drinks with them in order to secure those benefits teachers are currently enjoying.
The chairman of the Adansi East, GNAT, Ernest Kwadwo Gyima, enumerated a number of challenges the members are confronted with.
Citing poor working environment, welfare issues, and poor road network within the communities, which pose a lot of risk to teachers who use motorbikes to get to school.
