General News of 2013-03-18

Our strike has nothing to do with wickedness - NAGRAT replies

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) insists that its industrial action is not borne out of malice but necessity, and is not targeted to ensure the failure of this year’s West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations (WASSSCE) candidates .

According to President of NAGRAT, Christian Addae-Opoku, they feel saddened that they are being described as wicked just because the action has been taken at the time the exams are being written.

Pro government newspaper, the Network Herald in a publication of its Monday edition, described NAGRAT as “wicked”, after the leadership refused to rescind its decision despite government intervention.

“It is very sad for those making that comment; the issue has nothing to do with emotions, it has to do with principles,” Mr. Addae-Opoku said on Joy FM, Monday.

Mr. Addae-Opoku said they were compelled to embark on the strike after government failed to redeem its promise to set up a working committee to look into the teachers’ call for a renegotiation of the interim market premium currently at 15 percent. The teachers are also demanding a review of the teachers’ retention premium after three years of the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS).

He said they suspended earlier decision to embark on industrial action on January 25, 2013, based on the assurance by government that a working group was to be set up to look into their concerns. After Six weeks, the committee is yet to be formed.

“Who is wicked; the teacher or those who failed to constitute the working group from January till date? We are calling for total renegotiation,” Mr. Addae-Opoku upheld.

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and NAGRAT on Friday announced at a joint news conference in Accra, their decision to stay off the classroom beginning today, until their grievances were addressed.

Government subsequently invited the two teaching bodies to an emergency meeting at the Flagstaff House over the weekend, in an attempt to convince them to withdraw the decision while efforts were being made to address their concerns.

NAGRAT however claims its leadership was not officially invited to the meeting at the seat of government and therefore has refused to call off the strike.

Meanwhile, George Smith-Graham, Chief Executive for the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission has expressed surprise at the demands being made by the striking teachers. According to Mr. Smith-Graham, no workers’ group is currently enjoying the retention allowance that teachers are enjoying.

He said the retention allowance which is a new introduction into the pay system for the teachers, does not affect their salary structure. Responding to the demand for upward review of examination allowance, Mr. Graham said it is the WAEC that determines that allowance and not the FWSC.

Latest reports from Kumasi indicate that, the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT), another teaching body in the Ashanti Region, has indicated its intention to join GNAT and NAGRAT.

Nhyira FM’s Ohemeng Tawiah reported that the leadership of CCT is set to announce its decision at a news conference later today.