Group of teachers appeal to colleagues to discard strike

Koforidua, March 9, GNA - A group of teachers have appealed to their colleagues not to desert the classroom, instead they should continue to use dialogue to resolve issues arising from the migration of teachers onto the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) policy.

The Eastern Regional Chapter of the United Teachers Movement (UTM), an advocacy group that seeks the welfare of teachers and the right of students in the country, said that it did not support the unjustifiable strikes, demonstrations and boycotts by the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT).

These were contained in a statement jointly signed by Mr Lawrence Asigbe, Chairman of UTM, and Mr Divine Buachi, Secretary of the association, and issued at Koforidua on Wednesday.

The statement said UTM was aware of series of dialogue and negotiations between the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, the NAGRAT leadership and the Ministry of Education on the salaries and service conditions of teachers.

It said: 93As at yesterday, the Finance Ministry met the NAGRAT leadership to solve the issues, which some headway had been made". The statement said President John Evans Atta Mills in his address at the Ghana's 54th Independence Anniversary celebration parade in Accra last Sunday, gave the assurance that problems arising from the migration of teachers onto SSSS would be resolved soon.

It said NAGRAT's strike action was unjustifiable and that 93This i= s most unfortunate because NAGRAT is feeling threatened by the emergence of groups seeking to relate directly with governments to express the wishes of teachers".

The statement said that the strike was, therefore, not about the welfare of teachers but an act of desperation by NAGRAT leadership, struggling to preserve their privileges.

It urged teachers not to heed to the desperation act of NAGRAT leadership and said: 93Teachers should remain in the classroom and NAGRAT should continue to dialogue with government".