NAGRAT Accuses GES of Delaying Promotions

By Raissa Sambou

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has accused the Ghana Education Service (GES) of failing to release promotion letters of teachers due for promotion from 2015 to 2018.

The delay has angered members of the association, who are threatening to embark on a nationwide strike if their concerns are not addressed by August 31.

Addressing a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, president of the association, Mr Eric Agbe-Carbonu, also called for the immediate placement of teachers who have been promoted but were yet to be placed on their right scales.

He lamented that several reminders from the Teacher Unions have yielded no significant result, adding that "We see this as a grand scheme to delay the teachers' progression to their next promotion."

This undue delay of staff of GES staying on the same scale for five or more years while their counterparts elsewhere in the public service are promoted after four years on a grade must stop," he added.

The practice, he said, did not only cause anxiety among teachers who are scared of accumulating arrears that may not even be paid, but also discriminate against the teaching profession.

According to him, many teachers who were promoted have retired without enjoying the benefits of their promotion, adding that the discrimination against teachers must end as a matter of urgency.

Touching on other challenges faced by members of the association, Mr Carbonu expressed worry about the emerging trend where top management positions in the GES were allegedly being given to non-service personnel and advised the GES to "look within, for competent people to run the service, because teachers were capable of running their services."

He stressed that it was very necessary for the Ministry of Education to follow best practices with its appointment policies in order to sustain staff motivation in the GES.

Mr Carbonu also bemoaned attempts by the GES to recall Senior High School (SHS) teachers from their holidays, non payment of salary arrears to teachers and the SIC-GES life insurance policy imposed on teachers.

"We are only calling on government to respect the Labour Act and carry out its obligations to teachers," he added.

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