GNAT officially told GES on the face that teachers will not pay the 10% of their basic salaries as rent

By | March 15, 2022


According to the Ghana National Association of Teachers GNAT, their attention has been drawn to the circular, signed by Felicia Agyeibea Okai (Mrs), the Western Regional Director of Education, and in essence applicable to all the Regional Directorates of Education in Ghana, informing all Teachers/Staff occupying School/Government bungalow(s), that effective from 1st March 2022, (they) are to pay 10% of their basic salary (as rent).

GNAT said they find this directive unfortunate, and are dismayed at it since it is against the
spirit and letter of the Collective Agreement enacted between Ghana
Education Service and The Teacher Unions in the Education Service (on behalf of
All Teaching Employees in the Ghana Education Service, 2009) and the Collective
Agreement for Teaching Staff within the Ghana Education Service (GES), August 2020.

For the avoidance of doubt, they wish to remind the Ghana Education Service of
Section 21(i) of the Collective Agreement, 2009 which deals with Staff
Accommodation and states, without equivocation, that

Headmasters, Assistant Headmasters, Senior Housemasters, Housemistress, Principals, Vice Principals, Headteachers, Assistant Headteachers, Frontline ADs and Guidance and Counselling Officers in second Cycle institutions shall be provided with free residential accommodation (emphasized), and that, where there is no residential accommodation, the Service shall

be responsible for the rents or the officer(s) concerned. The
same shall apply to Directors at the District, Regional/Divisional
levels.

The major teacher union went further to draw the attention of the Ghana Education Service to Section 19 of the Collective Agreement, August 2020, which also deals with Staff
Accommodation and states, again without equivocation, that

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Accommodation may be provided (for) the following category
of staff: Headmasters, Assistant Headmasters, Senior Housemasters,
Housemistress, Principals, Vice Principals, Headteachers, Assistant
Headteachers, Frontline Deputy Directors, and Guidance and
Counseling Officers and Chaplains and Imams in Second Cycle
Institutions.

GNAT, therefore, wonder whether it is a deliberate, calculated attempt by Ghana
Education Service to renege on stipulations in the Collective Agreement, and if it
is, caution, that it would not hold, since it is both a breach of Union trust and an
unfair labor decision/practice

The union said are even more appalled with the Western Regional Director’s directive to, and
by implication, the Regional Internal Auditor(s) and the Regional Accountant(s), to ensure all arrears owed are collected to avoid audit issues.

GNAT caution further, that any attempt to implement this would be resisted
fiercely, and the industrial peace they are enjoying on the educational front could be
Jeopardized.

GNAT demand, that the Ghana Education Service withdraws this action/move, to ensure serene and conducive teaching and learning in the schools, for the collective benefit of all. Anything short of this could be risky, and they may not be able to contain it.

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