New trained teachers threaten to go on strike

A group of newly trained teachers who completed in 2001 in the Birim South District have threatened to "put down their chalks" if they are not put on correct salary scale by the end of this month.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Akim Oda on Friday, the angry teachers said the inability of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to place them on their correct salary structure since they came out from training colleges is making life difficult for them.

"Our predicament has been worsened by the harsh economic situation as a result of the increases in fuel prices as we now pay double the lorry fares we were previously paying to attend classes"

They said while they are also grappling with high utility tariffs some landlords have also increased their rents and have therefore, vowed not to go to school at the end of the month if by that time the anomaly had not been rectified.

Meanwhile, the District Secretary of Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Mr Kwabena Bediako has appealed to the teachers to suspend their intended strike action while efforts are being made to let them have their correct salaries including back pay.

When contacted Mr Edward Offei in-charge of Manpower and Training at the District Directorate said necessary documents of the affected teachers were processed and sent to the GES headquarters in Accra as far back as August 2002.

He said while a few of the teachers were put on their correct scale majority of them are yet to have their correct salaries.

Mr Offei therefore, appealed to Controller and Accountant-General Department to expedite action on the documents to enable the teachers to have the peace of mind to perform their duties efficiently.