Teachers demonstrate for better service conditions - Minister promises to resolve issues
Over 1,000 members of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) marched through the streets of Accra on Tuesday in protest against unresolved issues affecting their welfare.
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The demonstration sought to draw the government's attention to the non-implementation of allowances for teachers in deprived communities, non-payment of Tier 2 pension contributions, delays in promotion, placement and upgrading, disparities in the Single Spine Pay Policy and challenges with salary reactivation for teachers.
The teachers are demanding swift action from the government to address these issues which continue to impact heavily on their welfare.
The protest, which started at 8 a.m. from the former Obra Spot at the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, proceeded to the TUC Head Office and ended at the Ministry of Education, where the teachers presented their petition.
Clad in red, they held placards with messages such as “Release our pension money now,” “Implement teachers in rural areas allowance now,” “Controller and Accountant General, release our money now,” “Fix salary disparities now,” and “Amend Article 71 — we all deserve better salaries.”
The demonstrators were drawn from the Eastern, Volta, Central and Western regions, with additional support from their colleagues in Greater Accra.
Earlier meeting
The demonstration proceeded despite an earlier meeting yesterday with the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, officials from the Ghana Education Service (GES), and the GNAT leadership to discuss the issues.
Following the meeting, the GNAT leadership urged members to refrain from the protest, assuring them that their concerns were being addressed.
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However, the information arrived late as many members had already made arrangements and financial commitments for the protest.
Demands
The GNAT Regional Secretary, Peter Boateng, acknowledged the government’s efforts in improving education, citing the recent 100 per cent increase in Continuous Professional Development funding.
However, he emphasised that the association would continue to press for solutions to issues that required immediate attention.
He said over 5,000 teachers were currently suffering from salary disparities.
Additionally, teachers in rural areas, whose populations outnumber those in the urban centres, were struggling due to the lack of basic amenities.
Mr Boateng said as a result of those inconveniences, the association had requested that a certain percentage of teachers' salaries be allocated as compensation to those working in deprived areas but that request had not yet been addressed.
“There is also a significant issue with our colleagues who are due for promotion but have not been upgraded.
“These, among many other concerns, have led us to organise this demonstration. However, the minister has assured us that he will do everything possible to resolve our problems,” Mr Boateng stated.