The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Ghana National Association of Teachers GNAT, Mr. Prosper Takyi has stated that unionism should be action fervent and not just mere talking about issues in the Ghana Education Service.
Speaking in Kumasi Base Radio station, Angel FM, Mr. Prosper Takyi made it clear that the challenges in Ghana Education Service are currently overwhelming the action that is taken to resolve those challenges. And the attitude of some teacher union leaders acting like they are public Relations Officers (PRO) of the Ghana Education Service is annoying and disgusting. He added that instead of Teacher unions leaders to be support Teachers and fight for their welfare, some of them are lying in bed with the employer. He said Teachers need to be respected and that should be the main priority of the Teacher union’s leaders.
Talking about the issue of the Laptops for Teachers Mr. Prosper Takyi indicated that GNAT National leaders have communicated internally to them that the price of the Laptop is GH¢1550 and that is what they know. Any other issue concerning the price of the Laptops the have to go back to the discussion table to talk about it.
According to him, the last time portal was open for Teachers to apply for upgrading, some of them were already due for upgrading two or three years ago but at the time of the upgrading, GES only pay some of them two or three months arrears which is not fair to the teacher. He said GES was supposed to pay all those Teachers the whole two or three years arrears. Teachers’ welfare must be respected.
He, therefore, called on those responsible for voting the leaders to be circumspect so that competent leaders can be voted into office to fight for the Teacher’s welfare and not those who voted as union leaders and later turn to be the PRO of the employer.