General News of Monday, 15 March 2021

Source: 3news.com

GNAT lauds govt over decision to supply laptops to teacher unions

Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister for Education Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister for Education

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) says it appreciates and welcomes the government’s decision to provide members of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) with laptops.

They have lauded the government for taking the interests of teachers into account and have described the move as a step in the right direction to equip and augment teaching and learning in schools.

Delivering the State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Parliament on Tuesday, President Akufo-Addo hinted that the government is facilitating the procurement of laptops teachers this year.

President Akufo Addo further acknowledged teachers as the centre of every reform, hence “prioritizing the welfare of teacher’s remains a key objective of the government.”
Reacting to this in an interview on Yen Sempa morning show on Onua FM on Thursday 11, March, the General Secretary of GNAT Thomas T. Musah said the provision of the laptops would help bridge learning gaps created as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

He told the host Kwame Tutu that COVID 19 outbreak has had an awful impact on the academic calendar especially when schools were closed down for 10 months hence he is positive that the laptops would motivate the teachers to work extra in catching up with the syllabus.

Nonetheless, Thomas Musah expressed fret over shortage of food in schools whilst the first-year students are supposed to report to schools and thus urged Ghana Education Service (GES) to expedite actions in supplying the buffer stock.

Admittedly, he said a lot has been done to enhance education in the country but appealed to government to priorities and tackles the infrastructural challenges at the basic schools to be able to attain the 40% gross enrolment at the tertiary level as mention by President Akuffo Addo in the State of the Nation Address (SONA).