TTAG petitions Akufo-Addo over NSS posting

The leadership of the Teacher Trainee Association of Ghana (TTAG) has petitioned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over a decision by the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to post them for national service.

The petition, dated 1 November 2018 and signed by Anthony Dadzie and Nketia Ibrahim, President and Secretary, respectively for TTAG, said:

“The leadership of the Association would like to inform your high office that over sixteen thousand newly-trained teachers have not been employed by the Ghana Education Service (GES)."

"The National Service Scheme is directing the unemployed trained teachers to register for a one-year National Service instead of the direct employment by GES. The directive stands to contradict agreements, conventions and practices among the TTAG leadership, Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service, teacher unions, and the National Teaching Council (NTC)."

“On Tuesday, 30 October 2018, the Ministry of Education invited relevant stakeholders to a meeting to discuss the way forward to this impasse between TTAG and the relevant stakeholders."

"It is rather unfortunate the Ministry of Education has issued a press statement claiming TTAG has agreed for newly-trained teachers to be posted by the National Service Scheme instead of the Ghana Education Service.”

It added: “We see this as an imposition, breach of the agreement, and deviation from the status quo as well as a ploy to deny over sixteen thousand newly-trained teachers employment.

“Newly-trained teachers are not happy with the directive and humbly call on you to intervene by calling on the Ghana Education Service to post newly-trained teachers to fill the vacant Ghanaian classrooms."

“We would be glad if you could give us the opportunity to meet with you to narrate our side of the story.”