Teacher Trainees’ NSS without CETAG Book and Research Allowances as Tertiary Institutions Unfortunate

The youth wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has described it as very unfortunate the decision by government not to pay the Book and Research allowances of teachers at the Various Colleges of Education.

The youth also found it very unfortunate for government to consider Newly Trained Teachers as Tertiary Students and so made them undertake a compulsory National Service ,but could not comprehend the decision of their teachers to also benefit from the same tertiary teachers’ Book and Research Allowances.

”The Market Premium under the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP) introduced by the erstwhile NDC administration was introduced as a pay administration system in order to attract and retain critical skills in the public service.”

In a statement issued y the youth wing of the NDC on the Closure of College of Education due to the impending strike action by their teachers,the NDC believed government should have listened to the teachers .

”As required by law, CETAG and it’s members are duly entitled to these incentives and are well within their rights to demand for same. The market premium paid must also reflect the new status of CETAG as tertiary lecturers. It is thus mind boggling that after according Colleges of Education tertiary status, the only thing that came to the mind of government is to give an order to trained teachers to render compulsory one year national service upon completion but this same government refuses to pay CETAG what is due them per their new status.”

The group criticized the posture of the Minister of Education with regards to the teachers’ agitations prior to the closure of the Colleges.

”The Minister for Education, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, must not hide behind the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) to continue his clandestine intention of undermining and cowing CETAG into submission. He and his outfit must recall CETAG back to the negotiation table and work towards an amicable resolution of the impasse.

This level of cluelessness coming right on the back of the KNUST fiasco cannot be allowed to continue. The lecturers and students of this country have had enough of this government’s ineptitude.”

The statement signed by George Opare Addo,the National Youth Organizer of the NDC ,further indicated that the party recalled, that every decision by government since the group started it’s strike action has been catastrophic and driven by bad faith.

”Denying teachers their salaries because they were striking exposes the Minister of Education as one who has totally lost his bearing as a public servant.” He said.

”This and many developments confirm clearly that the Akufo-Addo led administration cares less about our education sector and even more on what it needs to do to ensure there are progressive strides in the sector. Rather, it has held on to promoting its callous and iron-fist policies which are jeopardizing the future of students and destroying the quality and image of tertiary education in Ghana.”

CETAG has Nothing to Loose

The statement further indicated that the Teachers have nothing to loose but the students do,drawing the attention of the Education Ministry to take a second look at its decisions with regards to grievances of CETAG.

”We wish to draw the attention of the Ministry of Education to the fact that, CETAG has nothing to lose if this impasse continues. It is our students in the Colleges of Education across the country who will bear the brunt of Government’s super-incompetence and insensitivity. It is therefore the sole responsibility of the sector ministry to ensure that this looming disaster is avoided. It is time to put arrogance and intransigence aside since it has not worked and indeed never works. Government must sit up.”

The youth also appealed to CETAG to ignore government’s provocation and consider the future of the trainees whom they cherished and return to the negotiation table with the Ministry of Education and the National Labour Commission.

”At the end of it all, it’s the poor students who suffer, and we cannot compromise the quality of teachers we produce due to government’s insensitive and recalcitrant posture. We stand with our students and CETAG. ”

Source: EducationGhana.net