The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has officially responded to a statement by the Ghana Education Service signed by Felicia Agyeibea Okai (Mrs), the Western Regional Director of Education informing all Teachers occupying School/Government bungalow(s), that effective from 1st March, 2022, (they) are to pay 10% of their basic salary (as rent).
According to GNAT, this directive by the Service is against the Collective Agreement enacted between the Ghana Education Service and the Teacher Unions in the Education Service, hence it members are not ready to pay as demanded.
Read The Full Statement Below
“Our attention has been drawn to the above circular, Signed by Felicia Agyeibea Okai (Mrs), the Western Regional Director of Education, and in essence applicable to all the Regional Directorates of Education in Ghana, informing all Teachers/Staff occupying School/Government bungalow(s), that effective from 1st March, 2022, (they) are to pay 10% of their basic salary (as rent).
We find this directive unfortunate, and are dismayed at it, since it is aganst the spirit and letter of the Collective Agreement enacted between the Ghana Education Service and the Teacher Unions in the Education Service (on behalf of All Teaching Employees in the Ghana Education Service, 2009) and the Collective Agreement for Teaching Staff within the Ghana Education Service (GES), August 2020
For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to remind the Ghana Education Service of
Section 21(i) of the Collective Agreement, 2009 which deals with Statf
Accommodation and states, without equivocation, that Headmasters, Assistant Headmasters, Senior Housemasters,
Housemasters, Principals, Vice Principals, Headteachers, Assistant Headteachers, Frontline ADs and Guidance and Counselling Officers in 2nd Cycle institutions shall be provided with free residential accommodation (emphasised), and that,
where there is no residential accommodation, the Service shall be responsible for the rents of the officer(s) concerned.
The same shall apply to Directors at the District, Regional/Divisional levels.
We go further to draw the attention of the Ghana Education Service to Section 19
of the Collective Agreement, August 2020, which also deals with Staff Accommodation and states, again without equivocation, that
“Accommodation may be provided (for) the following category of staff: Headmasters, ASSistant Headmasters, Senior Housemasters, Housemasters, Principals, Vice Principals, Headteachers, Assistant
Headteachers, Frontline Deputy Directors and Guidance and Counselling Officers and Chaplains and Imams in Second Cycle Institutions”.
We therefore wonder whether it is a deliberate, calculated attempt by the Ghana
Education Service to renege on stipulations in the Collective Agreement, and it is, caution, that it would not hold, since it is both a breach of Union trust, and an unfair labour decision/practice.
We are even more appalled with the Western Regional Director’s directive to, and by implication, the Regional Internal Auditor(s) and the Regional Accountant(S), to ensure all arrears owed are collected to avoid audit issues.
We wish to caution further, that any attempt to implement this would be resisted
fiercely, and the industrial peace we are enjoying on the educational front could be
jeopardised.
We are therefore by this write up demanding, that the Ghana Education Service withdraws this action/move, to ensure serene and conducive teaching and learning in the schools, for the collective benefit of all. Anything short of this, could be risky, and we may not be able to contain it”.
Source: Honestynewgh.com
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