Government urged to be sympathetic to teachers plight

Agona Swedru (C/R), March 21, GNA - Mr. Ben Somuah, vice- chairman of the Agona District branch of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has appealed to the government and policy makers to give human face to the plight of teachers.

He said if the International Labour Organisation's recommendations on the status of teachers are effectively and properly implemented, they would go a long way to curtail the rising state of industrial actions by teachers.

Mr Somuah said this at the best-teacher award ceremony at Agona Swedru on Monday. He emphasised that the industrial action embarked upon recently by teachers was the result of insensitivity of government to teachers' legitimate demands.

He said such a situation does not augur well for the government, which has embarked on reforms in education for which it needs the services of teachers to implement successfully.

In all 10 teachers from the primary, JSS and SSS were honoured for their excellent performance. Four organisations, the Agona District Assembly, Swedru Teachers Corporate Union, United Ghana Life Insurance Company and the Work of God, Winneba, sponsored the programme.

Mr Somuah called on the district assemblies to endeavour to provide decent structures for their schools. Mr. Samuel Adu Yeboah, District Chief Executive for Agona, assured teachers in the district that the assembly will continue to support the best teacher awards to serve as a morale booster.

Mr Kojo Opare Essel, Headmaster of Swedru School of Business who presided over the ceremony, urged the government to give more incentives to teachers for them to give of their best.