Schools in Full Session

Accra, (Ghanaian Times) -- MEMBERS of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) have responded positively to their leadership’s directive calling off the association’s strike in demand for improved working conditions.

Reports from the regions yesterday indicated that many of the teachers have resumed teaching. However, the blocking by the Ghana Education Service of their October salaries is causing resentment.

Education, Science and Sports Minister, Papa Owusu Ankomah, last Sunday expressed appreciation to the association for considering the government’s appeals to them to return to the classroom, Godfred K. Nyanney reports from Sekondi.

The minister at meeting with constituency executives of the New Patriotic Party in Sekondi, said, "Government is always prepared to listen and provide the requests of workers who fight for their rights within the confines of the law."

From Ho, Winston Tamakloe reports that graduate teachers in the Volta Region have resumed classes in first and second-cycle schools.

that graduate teachers in the Volta Region have resumed classes in first and second-cycle schools. Headmasters, headmistresses and headteachers in a number of schools visited within the Ho Municipality, confirmed that teachers were eager to resume classes after staff meetings, orientation for first year Senior Secondary School students, sorting out of academic calendar and general cleaning.

¨ At Mawuli School, the headmaster, David Afudego said the teachers were eager to make up for the lost hours and that academic work would commence after a staff meeting.

¨ At Evangelical Presbyterian Mawuko Girls’ Secondary School headmistress, Mrs Judith Amata Agawu-Osie, said serious classes would commence within the week and assure that everything humanly possible would be done to make up for the lost hours as a result of the strike action.In the Brong-Ahafo Region, the graduate teachers are yet to start effective teaching although they have gone back to school, reports Kingsley Hope from Sunyani. from In some of the second-cycle institutions visited by the Times, some of the teachers were present but were not teaching.

Among the schools visited were Sunyani Secondary, Berekum Secondary, Saint James Secondary and Twene Amanfo.

At Twene Amanfo, a NAGRAT member told the Times that "effective teaching would depend on our October salary as there have been statements that October salaries should be frozen."

In all the schools, it was observed that final year students enjoyed the services of some teachers belonging to the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT).

Meanwhile, about 18 national service personnel from the University College of Education, Winneba, Kumasi Campus, are at the Twene Amanfo School helping the students, the school authority confirmed this to the Times.

At the Christian Methodist Secondary School in Accra, the Times sighted some teachers in the classroom teaching, reports Salifu Abdul-Rahaman.

However, Mr. Antwi-Bempong, a chemistry teacher, told ht "Times" that "even though we are back teaching, we are not that happy; the situation is difficult for us."

He said he had advised the students not to take the strike as an excuse for inaction but should study hard to make up for the lost time.

The Headmistress of Labone Secondary School, Mrs. Joyce Osei-Agyekum, told the Times that only a few of the teachers there are NAGRAT members, reports Stephen Kwabena Effah.

She said since the beginning of the term, the teachers concentrated on the final year students and added that the problem was with the second year students who missed lectures as a result of the strike action.

The school will endeavour to make up for the lost hours for the second year stud, she said.

She appealed to the government to expedite action on the teachers’ grievances to avoid recurrence of the strike action.

A number of science students of Labone Secondary School, interviewed by our reporter Francis Xah, said that they were happy that the NAGRAT members had resumed teaching.

They were especially happy that the teachers had resumed in good time to prepare the third year students for their final examinations.

"If the teachers had not resumed work, we believe there would be a massive failure of students in next April’s West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations," they said.

The student appealed to the government to address the teachers’ demands for a better salary with dispatch to motivate them to give of their best.

From the Accra High School, Stephen Effah reports that the Assistant Headmaster, Aaron Badzi said some of the striking teachers reported for school yesterday.

He noted that with the return of the teachers, most of the students who were not coming to school as a result of the NAGRAT action had also reported for school.

He said in the absence of the NAGRAT teachers, the school relied on interns from the University of Education, Winneba and some national service personnel for academic work.

He questioned the criteria used in the blocking of the October salary of the striking teachers saying, " I always come to school but my salary for October has been blocked."

Classes in schools in Tema resumed yesterday with the graduate teachers in full attendance, reports Blay Gibbah.

A visit to the Tema Senior Secondary School revealed that both students and teachers were busy in classrooms.

Paul Dzineku, Assistant Headmaster (Administration) of the school, told the Times that "all the 83 tutors and all the students are back in school."

He said to make for the lost time, all teaching periods have been increased by 10 minutes, adding that there were plans to organise extra classes during holidays and at the weekends.

David Yarboi Tetteh reports from Cape Coast that most of the graduate teachers in schools in the municipality were back in the classroom.

from Cape Coast that most of the graduate teachers in schools in the municipality were back in the classroom. Ashie Kotey, Assistant Headmaster of St. Augustines College, told the Times on Friday that most of his teachers were at post.