Government drags striking teachers to Labour Commission over Dr Nkansah’s appointment as GES Director General

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Ferdinand|EducationGhana|November 8| Government drags striking teachers to Labour Commission over Dr Nkansah’s appointment as GES Director General

The government has dragged the Teacher Unions to the National Labour Commission to settle the misunderstanding concerning the appointment of Eric Nkansah PhD as the Director General of the Ghana Education Service.

The Ministry of Employment and Labour Commission has sent the matter to the NLC even though it was scheduled for Tuesday, November 8, 2022, to continue the matter after its Monday meeting ended inconclusively.

In a letter to the NLC on November 8, 2022, the Employment Ministry said it needed the intervention of the NLC to settle the matter.

 

”The attention of the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations (MELR) was drawn to concerns raised by Pre-tertiary Teacher Unions on the appointment of a new Director-General for the Ghana Education Service (GES) on 2nd November 2022.”

The Employment Ministry said  Due to its labour unrest implications. the MELR quickly invited the Leadership of the said unions to a meeting on Friday, the 4th of November, 2022 for the amicable resolution of the impasse.

”Even though the Leadership honoured the invitation and attended the meeting in the Conference Room of the MELR, they had already declared a nationwide strike and all attempts to get them to call off the strike have proved futile.” It said.

”I have therefore been directed to bring the matter to the attention of the National Labour Commission for its urgent requisite action. 5. Many thanks for your usual cooperation.” It concluded.

 

Government drags striking teachers to Labour Commission over Dr Nkansah's appointment as GES Director General | 1

Background

GNAT, the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) have declared the strike over the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah as the new Director General of Ghana Education (GES).

They declared the industrial action on Friday, November 4.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo appointed Dr Nkansah as the new Director-General of the GES to replace Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwah. The appointment took effect on Wednesday, October 19, 2022.

“I take this opportunity to congratulate you formally on your appointment. Kindly indicate your acceptance or otherwise of this appointment within 14 days of receipt of this letter, ” a statement signed by the Executive Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante said.

But NAGRAT, GNAT and CCT rejected the appointment.

The associations said the new appointee is a banker who has no background in teaching. Therefore, they are unhappy with his appointment.

Addressing a press conference in Accra on Thursday, October 20, the President of NAGRAT, Mr Angel Carbonou said teachers were hoping that a person who has a background in education would be appointed in order to bring his or her expertise to bear.

This appointment is an indication that there are no qualified teaching professionals to man education in Ghana, he said.

Mr Carbonou indicated that they are annoyed and surprised by the appointment of Dr Nkansah.

He said “What annoyed and surprised all of us was that a new Director General has been appointed to the Ghana Education Service.

“The authority to appoint Director General of GES is the President of the land. Unfortunately, contrary to what the teacher unions indicated that, we will want a Director General who is a professional teacher, who has passed through the mill, who can bring his knowledge, skills and influence to bear on the activities of teachers and non-teachers in the GES.

“Contrary to that, the gentleman who was appointed yesterday is not a teacher, he is a banking officer, who was a special assistant in the office of the Minister and has been appointed as the DG of the GES. We are not happy with this development, it is as of we don’t have professionals and well-educated people who have gone through the mill in education in this country to run education.”

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