REJOINDER: Understanding the strike action by the Teacher Unions; a wakeup call.

When one lacks the requisite knowledge concerning an issue, it is better to inquire and seek knowledge than to rush into making incoherent and outrageous comments just to mislead the public.
This is a fight to protect the integrity of the profession and the future.

Let’s note the following;

a. The  fight is not against the person Dr Eric Nkansah but a fight to prevent the partisan political infiltration and imposition of an outsider. It demotivates Teachers. Every Teacher aspires to rise to the top and it is the reason why we have the grading/ranking system in GES. A lot of Teachers have served mother Ghana and have risen through the ranks who qualify to be appointed DG of the service.
Has it ever happened that when the church of Pentecost is to appoint a Chairman, they just handpick a bishop from the Methodist Church?
We have precedents in Ghana here when GMA rejected a lab technician as a DG of GHS. When we allow this to continue, it means very soon the politicians will only appoint their cronies who lack the requisite skills to implement policies.

We have given so much power to the politicians to appoint the ministers and all those involved in policy formulation. But with the policy implementation,  it requires someone with the requisite technical know-how  and someone who  is in terms with the challenges confronting the stakeholders in policy implementation in GES especially Teachers.
Adwoa Van Vicker who had no knowledge on managing human resources under GES messed up the entire HR and later was micromanaged by Anthony Boateng.
The challenges confronting our colleagues Teachers are enormous but if we don’t uproot the very foundation of the challenges, the leadership of the unions will only go and negotiate and nothing with come out.

Teacher unions are not asking government to allow them chose the DG but are only requesting that someone who has passed through the ranks with the requisite skills and qualification be appointed. Someone who understands the terrain and is in terms with the plight of Teachers.
Let’s follow the ladder but not hide under politics to appoint someone alien to the ranking and grading structure in GES. If we don’t resist this now,  very soon, politicians would soon be apointing Regional and district directors. We need to stop the over politicisation of Education in Ghana.

Lawyer Boateng has retired and he should be allowed to rest peacefully in retirement.  It is because Dr Nkansah lacks the technical know-how,  the reason why Anthony Boateng is reemerging to be his shield. We have better intellectuals in GES who can aid the minister deliver when it comes to education. Even if it is an NPP person they want, we have a lot of them who have the qualification to manage the service.

Once we get the right persons in place, most of the challenges confronting Teachers would be halfway solved. It is annoying to meet the director General and explaining the issues alone would take days to understand before finding solutions.

Let’s protect the integrity of the service and our teachers. The disrespect is becoming quite to much.

The strike isn’t limited to these two appointments but the remaining supply of the laptops and refund of the 44.55 cedis, nonpayment of vehicle maintenence allowances, nonplacement of promoted Teachers, the rising cost of living vis-a-vis no assurance of pay rise next year are the issues among many others. We are dealing with all those issues as the highlight is on these 2 appointments for now.

Let’s respect the collective agreement which dictates that the position of the DG is to be occupied by someone who has risen through the ranks and has acquired the requisite qualification.

The strike is for posterity, is for our integrity, is for our wellbeing.

Alluta continua!