PRE-TERTIARY TEACHER UNIONS GIVES GOVT UP TO MAY 31 TO CONCERNS OF ALLOWANCES
Members of the various Teacher Unions have embarked on a demonstration in solidarity with demands by the Union’s hierarchy, demanding improved conditions of service, giving government up to May 31st to address concerns or advice themselves.
The Unions hit the streets of Koforidua on Wednesday to call on the government to approve the four recommended allowances tabled by the Unions’ leadership out of 17.
The unions included the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT-GH).
Clad in red and marching on the streets with aggression, amid singing and dancing, the protesters displayed placards some of which read “Treat teachers with dignity,teachers are losing trust in government, teachers also deserves allowances, cost of electricity is killing us and “Treat teachers with decency”.
The demonstration comes barely a week after the teacher unions,at a press conference, called out the government’s for failing to implement their allowances agreed on in a 2009 and 2020 collective agreement. They say the government has been adamant about fulfilling its promises after 15 years of the unions’ agitations. Though the collective agreement captures about 17 allowances, the unions have settled on four critical ones after several considerations.
The four are deprived areas, extra assessment, Book/Data/Online and teaching support, and upward adjustment on CPD allowances.
The demonstrators ended their protest at the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council, where they presented a petition to the Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong, which was received on his behalf by the Regional Coordinating Council, John Donkor for onward delivery to the Presidency.
Chairman of the Regional Ghana National Association of Teachers, Mr. Patrick Boison has been speaking to the media.
Mr John Donkor, the Regional Coordinating Director who received their petition on behalf of the Regional Minister, pledged to let the regional minister receive the petition.
Meanwhile, the regional director of education, Mrs Ivy Asantewaa Owusu, is calling for calm.
