Improvement in teachers pay critical to achieving MDGs

Accra, Aug. 30, GNA - The Ghana National Educational Campaign Coalition (GNECC) has commended government for the introduction of the capitation grant but called for a review of teachers' salary to make the profession more attractive.

A communiqu=E9 adopted at the Second Annual General Meeting of the Coalition held at Ho and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday, said a decent remuneration would ensure the recruitment and retention of quality teachers that would help to achieve education for all and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The group also called on the Ghana Education Service to address the issue of posting to many teachers to schools in regional and districts capitals to detriment of pupils in schools in the rural areas, where the pupil-teacher ratio was very high.

They said in order to ensure the equitable distribution of teachers to deprived communities; the Government should give teachers posted to rural school at least 20 per cent of their salaries as non-taxable allowance and give them preferential treatment in the granting of study leave.

The GNECC said the GES should enforce the policy of bonding teachers and to vigorously track down professionally trained teachers and sanction those who defaulted.

They called on the law enforcement agencies to decisively deal with cases of assault on teachers.

=93Parents should be made to understand and play a responsive role in providing basic educational needs of their children.=94 They said the Government should expedite action on separating the Inspectorate Division from the GES. A participatory monitoring system should be put in place at the community level made up of representatives of the GES, the district assemblies, school authorities and civil society groups.

The GNECC urged the Government to adopt a more participatory and transparent approach for the Best Teacher Award Scheme. Members of the coalition deliberated on issues such as the demand/supply gap of teachers nationwide; low remuneration, revision of capitation grant and logistical needs of schools.