Bolgatanga-Ghana, Nov. 08, GNA – Academic work at schools in the Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East Region is at a standstill, following the nationwide strike by teachers to protest the appointment of the new Director-General of the Ghana Education Service.
Dr Eric Nkansah was appointed by President Akufo-Addo to replace Professor Kwasi Opoku Amankwa as the Director-General of the GES; a development that did not go well with many teachers across the country.
The teachers declared the strike after the government failed to adhere to an ultimatum to remove Dr Nkansah from office.
When the Ghana News Agency visited some schools, including basic and second cycle institutions, it observed that teaching and learning was not taking place while a few students and pupils were seen loitering about.
In some schools, the classrooms were locked while there were no students or teachers.
At both Bolgatanga Girls’ Senior High School and Bolgatanga Technical Institute, there was no teaching and learning with few students learning on their own in the classrooms while others were loitering on the campus.
Some administrative staff had reported to the schools but were seen sitting and conversing.
At the Awoegya and Abilba Primary and Junior High Schools in Bolgatanga, the classrooms were locked while there was no single student or teacher in the schools.
When the GNA visited Charles Lwanga Primary and Junior High Schools at Sumbrungu, a suburb of Bolgatanga, it noticed that the classrooms of the primary department were locked while the JHS level were opened, however, there was no single teacher.
The few students who had reported to school were playing football while others were sitting idle.
Mr John Akunzebe, the Chairman, National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), in an interview, told GNA that the strike was to protect the teacher professionalism and keep the interest of people pursuing education as a profession.
He said the guidelines of the GES spelt out that non-professional teachers could not be appointed as head of educational institutions and noted that there were many people, who were professional teachers who could be appointed to head the position.
“The issue is that he is not a professional teacher even if he taught in our schools, he taught as a non-professional teacher and the GES principles say that if you are a non-professional teacher, you cannot become a head. And if you cannot become a head of a school like kindergarten, primary, Junior High School or Senior High School, then, on what basis are you becoming a Director-General?
He said Dr Nkansah did finance and not education, adding “according to the GES principle, the termination point is there, so even though he is a Doctor and a non-professional teacher, the termination point is deputy director general and not director general”.
