The Ministry of Education has appealed to parents across the country to remain calm as their wards are caught in the ongoing nationwide strike action by the leadership of the various unions in the Pre-Tertiary Education Sector.
Deputy Minister of Education, Rev John Ntim Fordjour, who made the appeal on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show Tuesday assured the parents that their wards were in good hands and were being taken care of, adding that there was no cause for alarm.
He said the government will meet with the leadership of the teacher unions and hopefully, both parties will reach a consensus to ensure that the issue is resolved amicably.
“We are pleading with the teachers to go back to classrooms as we negotiate with their leaders. In order not to allow our kids to loiter around, we still open the schools and ensure that there are teachers around to attend to them. Most importantly, students in the boarding schools are also being monitored in all our 16 regions.
“So we urge parents to remain calm and know that their kids are in good hands and are being taken care of as we negotiate with the striking teachers to ensure everything is resolved,” he said.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), however, insists the teacher unions will only resume work when it is necessary.
The General Secretary of GNAT, Thomas Musah said “at any point in time when we need to get back, we will consult ourselves and take it up from there.”
The unions, comprising the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT), are demanding that the 20% of their basic salary be paid to them as Cost of Living Allowance.
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