Reason for your strike is baseless: Parents tell teacher unions

Western Region Chairman of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) Isaac Cobbina has described as baseless the decision by some teacher unions to abandon classrooms.

Speaking in an interview with Nhyiraba Paa Kwesi Simpson, the host of Connect FM’s Omanbapa morning show, Mr. Cobbina stressed that parents supported teachers during their strike to demand cost of living allowances.

“We have supported them in most of their strike including the demand for COLA because we all know times are hard in this country but this particular strike has no basis and we think they got it all wrong,” he indicated.

Teacher unions on Friday, November 4 declared a strike following the appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah as the Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES).

According to the unions, the new Director General is not a professional teacher and cannot lead them.

According to Mr. Cobbina, the government has been given the authority to appoint and terminate and innocent students must not be made to suffer any consequences.

“The new Director General we are talking about here has been working at the pre-tertiary level for many years but these same teachers did not kick against him. He has now been appointed as the Director General and our children are suffering from that.

“He has a probation period as a new director, at least allow him to begin his work and measure his performance. If they have any reservations, they should discuss them with the government and not make our children suffer,” he added.

He indicated that the pre-tertiary level of the country’s education is already suffering and teachers should not be adding to the headache of parents.

“Go to our Senior High Schools and see what is happening there, students are made to take breakfast without bread. Things are not good in our education sector and the appointment of a Director General should not be a reason to make our children suffer more. I’m pleading with them to return to the classrooms because we as parents are getting worried.”

Source: 3news.com|Ghana