Pre-Tertiary Teachers Lay Down Tools

Three teacher unions across the country have declared an industrial action effective March 20, 2024.

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) announced the strike action in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement jointly signed by the three teacher unions cited setbacks in negotiating a Collective Agreement, a non-functional Scheme of Service for Teachers, delay in the distribution of the teachers’ laptops, rampant changes of the school calendar without recourse to teachers and the blockage of teachers salaries by the Office of Special Prosecutor.

The unions lamented about the delay in drafting a new Collective Agreement following the previous one in 2023.

According to them, the agreement should have been completed on or before February 29, 2024.

“Thus, the new Collective Agreement stands un-negotiated, and we raised this concern in our letter to the Director General, GES, dated 29th February 2024, and also informed the National Labour Commission (NLC).”

Meanwhile, they decried the lack of a functional Scheme of Service for Teachers.

“We have also drawn the attention of the Director General of the GES to the fact that the Ghana Education Service does not have a functional Scheme of Service for Teachers. Thus, a much cogent and appropriate one, which takes care of all requirements in the teaching profession needs to be developed for us. We have cried over this to no avail!”

They therefore concluded, “We the Pre-tertiary Teacher Unions do stand with our members and hereby declare a nationwide industrial action (strike) effective today, Wednesday, 20th March, 2024, to press home our demands.”