NAGRAT fights GES' early recall of SHS2 students for vacation classes

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) to rescind its directive to second-year students in Senior High Schools (SHSs) to return to campus earlier than the planned reopening date for extra classes.

The GES gave the order in a statement on 5 June 2019.

The students are expected to return by 19 August 2009 for their teachers to “give them additional support under the academic intervention scheme”.

But the leadership of NAGRAT said they were not consulted before the decision was taken and want it rescinded.

“You don’t ask students to come back for the teachers to come and teach and then the money that is due them [teachers] – the Free Senior High School motivation money – is used to pay them [teachers] [for the extra work]...We were shocked by the letter from the Ghana Education Service and we are asking the Ghana Education Service, as a matter of urgency, to rescind that decision and write back to the parents to keep their children in the house,” NAGRAT President Mr. Eric Angel Kabonu told Benjamin Akakpo on Class91.3FM’s Executive Breakfast Show on Thursday, 11 July 2019.

However, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has said it has no problem with the GES directive so far as the teachers who turn up for the extra work will be duly compensated.

The General Secretary of GNAT, Mr. David Acheampong, said they will “pick up an issue with the employer” if the teachers who avail themselves of the extra work are not compensated.