BY: GODFRED KAALI ANKU
Teacher unions at the pre-tertiary level of education in the Eastern Region have petitioned the government to amicably address issues related to their working conditions. This comes at the back of a press conference held by the unions on the sixth of May 2024, where they gave the government a one week ultimatum to address their grievances.
The executives of the unions submitted a petition to the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council after a peaceful demonstration through the principal streets of Koforidua.
The demonstration is to register their displeasure about government’s refusal to address concerns about their salary levels, and working conditions, while advocating for significant reforms to ensure that the Ghanaian teacher receives fair compensation.
The unions include the Ghana National Association of Teachers, GNAT, the National Association of Graduate Teachers, NAGRAT, and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana, CCT.
In an interview with GBC, the Eastern Regional Chairman of the GNAT, Patrick Boison noted that the petition details the grievances of teachers.
He observed that although they are faced with a lot of challenges and had previously negotiated 17 concerns, they have reduced their concerns to four in the hope that the government will address them promptly.
Mr. Boison disclosed that the unions will consider other options if government fails to address their concerns by the end of the month.
“Teachers are only asking for four allowances out of the seventeen allowances. We understand the situation government finds itself but it can also not go without expectations for the government on the demands we are making on them.
“These allowances is to help us do our work as teachers in the interest of the nation. We are saying by 31st of this month, if we don’t hear from government, a fruitful negotiation from our leadership at the national level, we in the regions will advise ourselves and take the necessary posture that will inure to the benefits of our members collectively”.
The Eastern Regional Director of Education, Ivy Owusu Asantewaa assured the Teacher Unions that their concerns will be addressed by the government. She hailed the Teacher Unions for the peaceful submission of their petition and called on the teachers not to abandon their classrooms.
The Chief Director of the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council, ERCC, John Donkor who received the petition on behalf of the Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong, assured the unions that their petition will be given to the Minister and subsequently forwarded to the appropriate quarters for redress.
“Unfortunately, there is an emergency today so the Regional Minister is out of the municipality so when he comes, we shall hand over this petition to him and I can assure you that we shall submit it to the appropriate quarters for redress.”
The teachers wore red dresses with red bands and carried placards some of which read, “Teachers also deserve allowances”, “Cost of electricity is killing us”, “We want our rewards on earth” and “Leniency of the teacher is not weakness”.
