‘Disunity among teacher unions militates against quality education’

Disunity among Ghana’s three teacher unions, is a major setback on teachers' delivery towards quality education in the country.

Mr Costers Nketiah, Headmaster of Drobo Senior High School (SHS), made the observation at a recent celebration of World Teachers Day organized by the Brong-Ahafo Regional Secretariat of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) at Drobo in the Jaman South District of Brong-Ahafo.

Municipal and District delegates of the Association in the region, took part in the celebration, which had “Unite For Quality Education,” as its theme.

Mr Nketiah noted that currently Ghanaian teachers had segmented themselves into three strong labour Unions of GNAT, the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT).

Mr Nketiah traced the history behind the formation of these Unions, saying that each of them was borne out of agitation on the basis of discontentment, relating to their welfare and general conditions of service.

He, therefore, urged the Unions to dialogue as sister bodies, to push forward the welfare agenda of Ghanaian teachers, so as to achieve quality education for the nation.

He, however, pointed out that achieving quality education as a nation, could not be done only through unity at teachers’ front, but required the prevalence of unity among other key stakeholders.

Mr Nketiah urged government through the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service, parents/guardians, as well as the teachers and the students/pupils, to play their respective roles before quality education delivery could be achieved.

Madam Dora Tameah, District Chief Executive (DCE) for Jaman South, reiterated that government had quality education at heart, and was also bent on equipping teachers to ensure quality service delivery.

Madam Tameah recalled that in February this year 4,833 teachers from the Western Region were taken through training in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), after which they were each given a laptop under the government’s Teacher Laptop Project.

She indicated that it was to enhance their professional development, and equip them with the necessary tools to facilitate the teaching and learning of ICT in schools across the country.

Mr Michael Nsiah-Agyapong, Chair of Brong-Ahafo Regional GNAT, who presided advised teachers to do some introspection to find out where they felt short of expectation, and make amends in their efforts to win public sympathy and support for their common cause.

Mr Nsiah-Agyapong who is also the Headmaster of Twene Amanfo SHS in Sunyani, therefore, advised teachers to eschew counter-productive habits, behaviour and tendencies like lateness, malingering, absenteeism, alcoholism, the use of illicit drugs, engaging in love affairs with students/pupils, and all other immoral acts that could bring the image of the teaching profession into disrepute.

Awards were given to deserving teachers at both District, Municipal and Regional levels, for their commitment, dedication and meritorious services to the teaching profession.