Takoradi-Ghana, Nov. 07, GNA – The strike embarked on by Teacher Unions to see the removal of the Acting Director General of the Ghana Education Service has been greeted with mixed responses in the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan area.
While some classrooms had been deserted by teachers with students seen loitering around the compound, some teachers had defied the order and were busy carrying out their academic duties.
Some teachers who interacted with the GNA believed that the education sector must not continually be “toyed with or mismanaged” by successive governments from policy direction to leadership.
They claimed that for education to be relevant and provide the needed manpower resources for the country’s advancement, required incessant political infiltration and manipulation ceased.
One teacher who pleaded anonymity said, ” the government must listen to sector players who have immense knowledge of the sector and also use them to promote quality education than to set our school systems on political feelings “.
To the teachers, the acting Director General, Dr. Eric Nkansah was not a professional teacher and for that matter cannot be appointed to head a professional institution that he was not a member of.
Mr Cosmos Ennu Kwaw, District GNAT Secretary for Ahanta West also added that Mr Anthony Boateng who had retired, and his four-year contract extension elapsed must exit the system for job opportunity for the younger race to contribute fresh ideas.
He said, “he is not the only teacher with the sole knowledge to be a Deputy Director General…there is too much delay or intentional delay in upgrading our members who are legally due”.
The District Secretary added that too much delays in promoting members who are due, especially the junior ranks did not mean that there were no bigger brains to take up the leadership of GES from member associations.
Meanwhile, Madam Josephine Amoh, the Executive Director of the Concerned Mothers Movement has urged the government to heed to the call of the teachers and appoint a member from their fraternity as a measure respect for the teaching profession.
Mr Nugbedodo Gbedo, a legal practitioner described the call by the teachers as in order to promote confidence in the system.
Mr Justin Nelson, the Regional Head of NAGRAT called on all unions to strictly enforce the directive to gain collective attention.
