The teacher unions that are on strike have stated that they do not have anything against the new Director General of the Ghana Education Service(GES), Dr Eric Nkansah but want due process to be followed concerning the appointment.
The unions have been on strike protesting the appointment with a call for the government to replace Dr Nkansah.
The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Thomas Musah, explained that their protest against the appointment is to protect a long-standing principle that a person with a teaching background should occupy that post.
“It is not about Dr Eric Nkansah; it is about the principle,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Aduwtum, is scheduled to meet the leadership of the teacher unions today, November 7.
Thomas Musah said the unions would determine the way forward depending on what transpires at the meeting.
“Teachers are unhappy. Some progress have been made last Friday; let us not destroy what has been achieved. We will be at the meeting at 2 PM,” Mr Musah said on TV3 on November 7.
Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Education, Kwasi Kwarteng, has appealed to the teacher unions who are striking to return to the classrooms in the interest of the students.
Mr Kwarteng said, “In the interest of the students, they should go back”.
GNAT, the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) have all declared strikes over the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah as the new Director General of GES.
They declared the industrial action on Friday, November 4.
Background
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo appointed Dr Nkansah as the new Director-General of the GES to replace Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwah. The appointment took effect on Wednesday, October 19, 2022.
“I take this opportunity to congratulate you formally on your appointment. Kindly indicate your acceptance or otherwise of this appointment within 14 days of receipt of this letter,” a statement signed by the Executive Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante, said.
But NAGRAT, GNAT and CCT rejected the appointment.
The associations said the new appointee is a banker with no teaching background. Therefore, they are unhappy with his appointment.
Addressing a press conference in Accra on Thursday, October 20, the President of NAGRAT, Mr Angel Carbonu, said teachers were hoping that a person with a background in education would be appointed to bring his or her expertise to bear.
This appointment is an indication that there are no qualified teaching professionals to man education in Ghana, he said.
Mr Carbonu indicated that they were annoyed and surprised by the appointment of Dr Nkansah.
He said, “What annoyed and surprised all of us was that a new Director General has been appointed to the Ghana Education Service.
“The authority to appoint Director General of GES is the President of the land. Unfortunately, contrary to what the teacher unions indicated that we would want a Director General who is a professional teacher, who has passed through the mill, who can bring his knowledge, skills and influence to bear on the activities of teachers and non-teachers in the GES,” he lamented.