NDC speaks on jobless teachers 'brutalizing'

Ghana’s biggest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has condemned the arrest of some unemployed teachers who picketed the premises of the Ghana Education Service (GES) on Monday, 13 January 2020.

About three hundred of them had converged on the premises after receiving text messages that invited them over the previous day.

They were, however, prevented from entering the GES’ compound by a phalanx of police officer who arrested about 20 of their leaders.

In a statement issued by the NDC on the matter, the party said: “We take a very dim view of this latest incident. We are extremely appalled and disgusted by the dehumanising treatment that these innocent trained teachers, who have successfully graduated from various colleges of education, passed their tortuous licensure examination and have duly undergone the one-year mandatory national service, are being subjected to by the insensitive Akufo-Addo government”.

The NDC reminded President Akufo-Addo to fulfil his campaign promise of providing jobs for teacher trainees.

Read the NDC’s full statement:

For Immediate Release

14th January, 2020

NDC CONDEMNS RECKLESS ATTACKS METED OUT TO UNEMPLOYED TEACHERS BY THE POLICE; CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO POST THEM NOW.

The National Democratic Congress has noted with grave concern, the barbaric brutalisation of some unemployed trained teachers who gathered at the premises of the Ministry of Education on Monday, 13 January 2020 to demand postings from government.

We take a very dim view of this latest incident. We are extremely appalled and disgusted by the dehumanising treatment that these innocent trained teachers, who have successfully graduated from various Colleges of Education, passed their tortuous licensure examination and have duly undergone the one year mandatory National Service, are being subjected to, by the insensitive Akufo-Addo government.

We note that in spite of fulfilling all employment requirements of the Ghana Education Service and having received countless assurances from the government, these young men and women have been refused employment since September 2018 by President Akufo-Addo, who prioritises corruption and wanton profligacy over the needs of teachers and Ghanaians in general.

The NDC condemns in no uncertain terms, the unprofessional and irresponsible conduct of the Ghana Police Service and demands for a total withdrawal of all charges levelled against these young graduate teachers whose only crime is to demand from their government what is due them.

We further remind President Akufo-Addo of his own campaign promise to provide jobs for teacher trainees. We charge him to make do this promise by employing these Trained Teachers without further delay.

To all teacher trainees and unemployed trained teachers; the NDC stands with you in these difficult times and will continue to prioritise your needs and treat you with dignity.

We encourage you to remain fervent in hope and assure you that the next NDC-Mahama administration shall abolish the obnoxious licensure examination and restore the automatic employment of all teacher trainee graduates when re-elected in 2020.

SIGNED, ERIC EDEM AGBANA, DEPUTY NATIONAL YOUTH ORGANISER