GNAT threatens industrial action over new GES policy

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has threatened “labour unrest” if the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service goes ahead with a new policy of transferring teachers to rural areas without due compensation.

Dubbed teacher rationalization exercise, the new policy is expected to ensure equitable distribution of teachers in urban, peri-urban and rural areas.

However, GNAT has expressed its disapproval of the policy and is rather asking for the payment of transfer arrears to teachers from GES.

“Over five years or more, the Ghana Education Service has transferred teachers without the corresponding payments of their legitimate entitlements,” Paul Agyei Boateng, the National President of GNAT, said on Friday, February 21, 2014 during a press briefing.

“This situation GNAT views as a blatant violation of the collective agreement and GNAT wants to sound a word of caution to the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service that in the expected transfers, funds should be secured to pay the legitimate entitlements of the affected teachers to bring about a smooth exercise,” Mr Agyei Boateng added.

According to him, the leadership has agreed that any attempt by government to transfer teachers without the corresponding payments of legitimate entitlements “will result in a labour unrest”.

“GNAT will resist,” he emphasized.