By Nathaniel Nartey
Four Teacher Unions have issued an ultimatum to the government to increase their salaries and allowances or withdraw the semester system at the pre-tertiary level. The Ghana Education Service released a new academic calendar with the introduction of the Semester system to cover pupils at primary and kindergarten levels, moving away from the trimester system.
The four Unions, Ghana National Association of Teachers, National Association of Graduate Teachers, Concerned Teachers Association of Ghana and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union TEWU argued that the new semester system warrants an increase in their remuneration to match the increase in contact hours.
General Secretary of TEWU, Mark Korankye Denkyira was not happy about the government’s decision not to engage stakeholders in the sector before the introduction of the policy. He Spoke to Nathaniel Nartey.
”Anytime there is a major policy change, what is required is stakeholders are consulted and they make inputs into the policy. This very policy of changing from trimester to semester has never been on the table for our discussion and input.”
He said, ” we are saying that this policy is going to increase our working hours and this calls for additional remuneration or increase in personnel. All these have to be brought to the table for discussion.”
Mr. Denkyira was hopeful the government will invite the various Unions to the negotiating table as soon as possible.
“We believe our Management is a listening Management. It could be an oversight that they did not consult with us but we don’t think they will be adamant to our call for them to engage us.”
