The threatened strike by Ghana’s teacher unions has been averted after the Ministry of Education reached an agreement with the unions to address concerns over the placement of teachers on the appropriate salary scales.
The agreement was reached at a meeting between the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, and the leadership of the teacher unions to find a lasting solution to the salary placement concerns.
As part of the resolutions, the Ghana Education Service (GES) is expected to provide the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department with the necessary data to facilitate adjustments to the salaries of affected teachers and ensure the payment of their rightful entitlements.
Nearly 80,000 teachers are expected to benefit from the exercise and be placed on their appropriate salary scales.
The agreement also eliminates a requirement that had raised concerns among teachers. Under the new arrangement, teachers will not be required to travel to their respective District Education Offices to submit payslips for the salary-scale placement process.
The development is expected to ease the administrative burden on teachers while allowing the relevant government agencies to rely on the requisite employment and payroll data to undertake the adjustments.
The teacher unions agreed to call off their planned strike following assurances from the Ministry and the measures outlined to resolve the matter.
The Ministry of Education said it appreciated the leadership of the teacher unions for their constructive engagement and commitment to resolving the dispute without disrupting teaching and learning.
It said the government remains committed to working with the unions, the GES and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that teachers receive their rightful entitlements in a timely and efficient manner.
The resolution comes at a time when concerns over teacher welfare and remuneration have remained a key issue in discussions between education-sector stakeholders and the government.
The Ministry said resolving the salary placement issue forms part of its broader commitment to improving the welfare of teachers and strengthening Ghana’s education system.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
