Teacher-flight: We must accept paying teachers globalised salaries if we accept globalisation – GNAT

It appears that there is a disagreement between the President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Rev Isaac Owusu, and the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, regarding the issue of teacher flight and the state of education in Ghana.

Rev Isaac Owusu has expressed concern about the phenomenon of teacher flight, which refers to teachers leaving the country for better opportunities elsewhere, particularly in countries like the United Kingdom (UK).

He argues that this flight is driven by deteriorating working conditions and inadequate salaries for teachers in Ghana.

On the other hand, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum contends that Ghana does not have a shortage of teachers but rather faces challenges in distributing and deploying teachers to rural areas.

He suggests that addressing teacher distribution issues is crucial.

He also mentioned that globalisation has an impact on teacher flight, as teachers may seek better-paying opportunities abroad.

Rev Isaac Owusu argued that in the era of globalisation, Ghana should consider paying teachers global salaries.

This, he noted, implies that teachers in Ghana should be compensated at a level that is competitive with international standards, potentially discouraging them from leaving the country for higher-paying jobs abroad.

Rev Owusu emphasised that the working conditions of teachers in Ghana are not commensurate with the salaries they receive, leading to dissatisfaction among educators. He, thus, suggested that improving the condition of service for teachers is essential to retaining talent and motivation.

Rev Owusu asserted that no profession has sacrificed more than teachers in Ghana.

This statement, according to him, suggests that teachers have made significant sacrifices for the education system in the country and should, therefore, be adequately rewarded and supported.

Rev Owusu acknowledged that despite the challenges faced by teachers in Ghana, there have been encouraging results in the Free Senior High School system.

This implies that teachers are still making efforts to deliver quality education despite the difficulties, he maintained.

The president of GNAT expressed this concern while speaking on Accra-based Joy FM's news file show on Saturday, October 7, 2023.