.... Yet They want a 300% raise

The Member of Parliament for Sekondi, Hon Papa Owusu-Ankomah has declared that the reward of teachers is indeed in heaven because the nature of service they provide humanity can never be paid fully.

However, these same parliamentarians have proposed to increase their salaries by more than 300 per cent. read

According to him, teachers believe their salary should commensurate with other public sector workers which is indeed so, but noted that no amount of earthly compensation can measure up to the services they provide society.

Hon. Owusu-Ankomah made this declaration when he contributed to a statement made on the floor of Parliament by Hon. Mathias Puozaa on demonstrations by teachers on the implementation of the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP).

He argued that the reaction of teachers nationwideto the SSPP was spontaneous and that in the case of GNAT, members went on strike against the unambiguous position of their leaders to stay in the classrooms. He noted that it is the right of teachers to demand better remunerations but pointed out that while doing so they need to take the future of school children and that of the country’s education system into consideration. He appealed to the teachers to reconsider their position and return to the classrooms while the necessary corrections are made in the inconsistencies identified in the new pay policy.

Chairman of the Education Committee, Hon Mathias A. Pouzaa who made the statement related that a number of concrete steps have been taken to find a solution to the problem and urged the teachers to stay in the classrooms. According to him, the commitment of the President, H.E. John Evans Atta Mills to finding a solution to the problem as stated in his address at the 54th Independence Anniversary Parade should be reassuring enough to believe that a solution would be found soon.

“I am convinced because these assurances by the President and the Minister of Education are backed by action,” he stated.

Hon Pouzaa disclosed that immediately the problem started a technical team of fifteen drawn from the GES, TEWU, GNAT, NAGRAT, FWSC and CAGD was assembled to examine and identify errors emanating from the implementation and make recommendations with the view of addressing the errors.

The committee, he said, spent one week to complete its task and submit its observation, findings and recommendations to the Minister of Education for study and necessary action.

According to him, the committee observed that a total of 276, 413 staff members were on the GES payroll as at 28th February, 2011 and that 180 staff members were still on the old salary structure out of which 144 are teachers and the remaining are non-teaching staff. The Committee findings, he said include wrong placement of grade steps, wrong placement of jobs for certain categories of employees and net salaries for most professional teaching staff for February 2011 falling short of that of January 2011.
Hon Pouzaa revealed that the Committee also found that due to incomplete data some GES employees with additional duties were not mapped on the approved grade structure and that the migration of staff of the GES, both teaching and non-teaching, as per approved single spine salary structure was in conformity with the pay policy.
He noted, however, that the consolidation and ceasure of professional allowances of professional teachers had made them worst off. He stated that the Committee made two important recommendations that professional allowance should be restored as an inducement to teachers immediately to make up for the short fall in the salaries of some professional teachers and that solution to some of the problems identified should be between GES, FWSC and the controller and accountant generals department. “The various stakeholders agreed to work together to examine and identify errors emanating from the implementation and make recommendations with a view to addressing the errors. It is only fair to expect them to want to see that their recommendations are implemented,” he declared.
Contributing to the statement, MP for Manhia, Hon. Matthew Opoku Prempeh appealed for understanding from the teachers and stressed that staying out of the classroom hampers the country’s future and urged the striking teachers to tamper their strike with the future of school children.
He condemned the attack of the police on some demonstrating teachers and argued that when people are fighting for what is their right, law enforcement agents must not shoot at them because it will be difficult for the public to accept that it is the security service that is carrying out the action and not government.
Hon. Opoku Prempeh also cautioned Ministers to preach reconciliation in such situations and not be quick to apportion blame. He argued that the intensity of the standoff was inflamed by government insensitivity and stressed that Ministers need to learn how to address issues.
The MP for Abokobi Madani, Hon Amadu Sorogho in his contribution to the statement congratulated teachers for turning out in their numbers during the Independence Day Anniversary despite the rumours they were going to boycott the celebration.
According to him, professionals in society owe their positions to teachers and yet many people would not want their children to go into the teaching. He stressed that teachers are as essential as other professionals in the country and urged them to take pride in what they do while entreating society to give them their due respect.