The Coalition of Aggrieved Teachers on the Rank of Deputy Director is kicking against the newly drafted scheme of service that seeks to limit the career progression of teachers.
This follows a proposal of a new policy by the Ghana Education Service which would only allow teachers be promoted based on the availability of vacancies.
The group asserts that the restriction on the promotion to the two highest ranks for the teaching class in Senior High schools has caused stagnation, while restricting the career upgrade of qualified teachers.
The aggrieved teachers are calling for the expunging of the unfavourable clauses in the newly drafted scheme of service of the Ghana Education Service.
The stated ranks for the teaching class in Senior High Schools in the newly drafted scheme of service of the Ghana Education Service are Director I, Director II, Deputy Director, Assistant Director I, Assistant Director II, and Principal Superintendent.
In the draft, the mode of entry for the ranks of Director I and Director II is subject to the availability of vacancies.
This infers, that until vacancies for Headship or Directorship become available, qualified officers cannot be promoted to these two ranks.
Speaking to JoyNews, Newell Anokye Abrefa, who is the convener of the group said, “The availability of vacancy clause in the scheme of service has caused and continues to cause stagnation of many teachers on the rank of Deputy Director.”
“We were hoping that a new scheme of service would address the cancer of stagnation that prevailed in the previous one but rather, it has resurfaced again in grand style,” he added.
The group also expressed their displeasure with clauses of the scheme allowing non-teachers from the public sector with five years experience to compete with long-standing teachers for director positions and heads of schools.
“People who have served in public sector organizations in top management for five years can be brought into GES to occupy the ranks of Director II and Director I. This means that persons who are not professional teachers can be made Directors of Education and Heads of Schools. Where is this done?,” he asked.
The Coalition of Aggrieved Teachers on the Rank of Deputy Director is urging the Ghana Education Service and Teacher Unions to rectify the anomalies.
“The availability of vacancy clause must be expunged immediately so that teachers who have served the mandatory years on the current rank and are eligible for promotion to the next rank can be promoted whether vacancies exist or not.
“The four-year interval for progression from Deputy Director to Director II and beyond should not affect those already on the rank of Deputy Director. Ranks of Director II and Director I should be preserved for only professional teachers,” he said.