Teacher unions want GES retired staff to proceed on retirement

Pre-tertiary teacher unions have called on the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to direct all retired persons in the Ghana Education Service to hand over immediately to the next in line and proceed on their compulsory retirement.

“If by 30th September, 2022, such persons are still at post, we call on our members to disregard directives issued by these persons,” a statement dated August 22, 2022 [copy attached below], signed by the leadership of the pre-tertiary union said.

The unions are the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Coalition of Concerned Teachers-Ghana (CCT-Gh) and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU).

Signatories

The statement was signed by the General Secretary of GNAT, Thomas Musah; the President of NAGRAT, Angel Carbonu; the President of CCT-GH, King Awudu Ali and the General Secretary of TEWU, Mark Dankyira Korankye.

The call of the union is in the wake of the one year contract given to a Deputy Director General of the GES, Anthony Boateng.

A letter dated August 19, 2022 signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante [copy attached below] said Mr Boateng has been given a one year contract of service as Deputy Director General (Management Service).

“It is expected that during this period of extension, you will continue in your current role and assist in the development of the National Education Institute as approved by Cabinet,” it said.

The extension of the deputy GES boss’ contract followed a request from the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum to the president to the Secretary to the President for another one year extension of contract of Mr Boateng after an initial one-year contract [copy of letter attached below].

“During the period of extension, Mr Anthony Boateng will continue his current role and assist in the development of the ministry’s National Education Institute as approved by Cabinet,” the letter from the sector minister said.

Minister of Finance

Meanwhile, in an earlier letter [copy also attached below] dated August 5, 2022 and signed by a Deputy Minister of Finance, Abena Osei Asare to all Chief Directors of Ministries, Departments and Agencies [MDAs], the heads, including those at the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies were informed “of some expenditure policy measures as outlined in the 2022 budget statement.”

Paragraph 324 of the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy states “Government has, with immediate effect, suspended the granting of approval for post-retirement contract appointments, except in cases where the skills of the retiring officer are in short supply and unavoidably needed,” the letter from the deputy minister said.

The Ministry of Finance stated: “in view of this, we are unable to grant financial clearance for post-retirement contract appointment at this stage.”

The teacher unions explained that they were inundated with concerns and agitations during the weekend by the rank and file of education workers in Pre-Tertiary Education and other stakeholders on the issue of the post retirement contract extension granted to the Deputy Director-General (MS) of Education and also the stay in office of other retired persons in education in the Ghana.

Attached below are copies of the letters in relation to the issue