GNAT calls for publication of ‘School placement for Sale’ Committee report

The Ghana National Association of Teachers(GNAT) has called for the publication of the “School placement for sale” committee report.

This comes on the back of the Education Ministry’s alleged refusal to take responsibility for errors and rather dragging GNAT in the widespread scandal that has hit the school placement system.

The Public Relations Officer of the Education Ministry, Mr. Kwasi Kwarteng, according to reports had revealed that janitors and security personnel who were captured as middlemen in the investigative documentary by The Fourth Estate on the controversial ‘Computerised (School) Placement for Sale’ were not employees of the Education Ministry but of the GNAT Hostel.

However, GNAT in reaction to the matter described it as “unfortunate and unbecoming of a body with which we share a common aspiration of guaranteeing the country’s young ones a future of bliss and certainty through education.”

It added: “In view of the attacks by Mr. Kwesi Kwarteng on the Ghana National Association of Teachers, GNAT, we demand the publication of the Committee’s report on ‘School placement for sale’ to assure parents, guardians, and the entire Ghanaian Public and all concerned of its (MOE/GES) continued commitment to upholding standards on the education front.”

Meanwhile, GNAT wants the Director-General to rebuke Mr. Kwesi Kwarteng to refrain from dragging the image of the Association into disrepute on any platform he appears on in the interest of ensuring industrial peace and harmony in the country and the educational front.

“The GNAT is happy that none of its staff was incriminated by the Fourth Estate and hopes that going into the future, the Ministry of Education would plug all loopholes, so that the exercise would not, in the words of Mr. Kwesi Kwarteng, be turned into a marketplace where officials linked to the exercise would exercise their mandate through a network of intermediaries, such as security guards and cleaners, as exposed by the Fourth Estate.

“As a key stakeholder in the sector, GNAT will always collaborate with the Ministry of Education in its efforts to improve the sector but will not condone comments and acts that are intended to tarnish the image of the Association,” GNAT warned in its statement.