New GNAT president underlines vision for teachers

Accra, Jan. 27, GNA - The new National President of Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Mr Paul Asamannaba Apanga, has indicated his commitment to pursue vigorously, activities and programmes that would enhance the image of the Association.

He pledged to project a union of choice to all Ghanaian teachers. Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, Mr Apanga said= in the next four years, he and his team hope to address the concerns and aspirations of members through championing and making the cause of teache= rs a priority to make the Association more proactive. He noted that GNAT as on organisation faced a number of challenges within its external environment including globalisation, rapidly changing=

technology, stiff competition as well as social, political and economic pressures. "The challenges within the external environment of the organisation create enormous pressures for the internal environment with substantial implications for the management." Mr Apanga said there was therefore the need to strengthen the existi= ng structures of the Association especially from the school, local and distr= ict levels where the bulk of the work was centred as well as the various departments at Headquarters, to cope up with modern trends and techniques= in the field of work.

He said he intended to develop and sustain a pragmatic succession pl= an within the organisation to meet the increasing demand on human resources requirement, strengthen and improve GNAT's international relations with other unions and also ensure effective partnership and collaboration with=

stakeholders' institutions and Trades Union Congress and other registered=

unions on educational matters. Meanwhile, GNAT at the end of its third quadrennial and 50th Nationa= l Delegates Conference held recently in Accra, issued a nine-point communiq= u=E9 that among other issues stressed the need for consistency in the implementation of educational policy and strategic plan, which does not depend on the manifesto of political parties in order to achieve excellen= ce and relevance. It also called on government to maintain a steady increase in educat= ion expenditure notwithstanding the global economic downturn.

The communiqu=E9 urged the government to adequately support the trai= ning and re-training of teachers through payment of full cost of tuition for teachers undertaking distance education programmes. 8), the Local Government Act 462 must specify the minimum qualification for t= he appointment of district chief executives, to enable them to competently handle the duties specified by Act 778. The communiqu=E9 commended government for maintaining relative peace= and security necessary for promoting democratic society and uninterrupted nat= ion building. 27 Jan. 10