Judgement debt cases killing us - GES

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has bemoaned the actions of some directors of education that have led to a series of court cases against the service by aggrieved teachers.

The Director General of the GES, Jacob Kor, speaking at the 23rd Annual Conference of Directors of Education in Kumasi, revealed that the service was involved in seven lawsuits following the failure of some directors to follow due process in sanctioning teachers.

He, therefore, called on the directors to use proper procedures when sanctioning recalcitrant teachers so as to avoid being dragged to court.

“There are so many court cases at the district level and at the headquarters. At the headquarters, we have as many as seven court cases and at times when we want to use our own managerial skills to stop them, they say contempt of court and, so, I cannot do anything. Where are these court cases emanating from...? From the district, just because some due processes are not being followed in order to sanction teachers,” he lamented.

“You have no power to sack a teacher. It is unfortunate that this District Director has passed on. If he were still to be alive he would [have] paid a judgment debt of over GHS156,000 for sacking a teacher for which you have no authority. The Director General has no power to sack a teacher, it is the Ghana Education Service Council that can do that. So, just because of this omission by a district director not following due process, GES will have to vomit GHS156,000. We will not also allow this to continue; if you don’t know please ask, don’t rush into sanctioning.”

Mr Kor also warned that teachers and invigilators found culpable in examination malpractices would be dealt with.

“Another source of embarrassment to management is examination malpractices. Each year students’ results are cancelled; each year some students’ results are withheld. Why? Are there no supervisors? Until external supervisors come in, it is not detected. But let me remind you that there is what we call Item Differential Profile software, which is able to detect where there is collusion, especially with the multiple-choice examination. E-marking can also detect the manuscripts where there are collusions and so when we see it…there is no mercy because we cannot say: ‘Let’s have sympathy and continue to perpetuate evil.’ The results will be cancelled and not only cancelled but all those who are party to the cancellation of the results will have their share of the sanctions. … We will not only cancel the results of the students but the teachers and invigilators themselves will be held responsible for causing all these inconveniences…” he stressed.