Ga East teachers embark on strike

Accra, Oct. 31 GNA - Basic and second cycle teachers in the Ga East District of the Greater Accra Region on Tuesday called on an indefinite strike action to back demands for better conditions of service. The group said they had firmly resolved to support the strike action of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) in pursuance of a living wage for all teachers in the country.

Mr Siaw Kwakye, spokesperson for the teachers whose speech was read

by Mr Shalom Gonu, a teacher, said the group would not return to the classroom until they heard 93something concrete=94 from government. The group also said they had lost confidence in the leadership of the Ghana National Association Teachers (GNAT) because they had failed to champion the cause of the teachers.

Mr Kwakye said the teachers could not compare their conditions of service and pay structure with workers in other sectors. He said a newly trained teacher took home less than one million cedis a month and could not boast of anything.

Mr Kwakye said even though the introduction of the capitation grant

and school feeding programme had increased enrolment in schools, government had not done anything to improve the conditions of service of the teacher who was at the centre of these activities.

=93It is indeed ridiculous to know that the responsibility allowance of a whole headteacher at the basic level is only 10,000 cedis per month. Even this is not forthcoming,=94 he said. 31 Oct. 06