Teachers likely to be migrated to SSSS in January 2011

Accra, Nov. 25, GNA - The inability of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to place teachers unto the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) has prevented the migration of 75 per cent of workers onto the structure by December 2010.

The Chief Executive Officer of FWSC, Mr George Smith-Graham said teachers were likely to be migrated in January after distortions between teaching and non teaching staff were resolved. Interacting with members of the Greater Accra Regional Branch of Ghana National Association of Teachers in Accra on Thursday, he explained that the problem had come about because the analogous grades in the Ghana Education Service were rated higher than the teaching staff and this was rejected by Ghana National Association of Teachers and National Association of Graduate Teachers.

He said under the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP) job titles were not important than job evaluation, adding that titles could be deceptive and might end up down playing the work performed by others. Mr Smith-Graham explained that when the public sector median was established some workers were below it with negative 52 per cent while others were above it with 300 per cent. He said the SSPP sought to address the disparities. "The SSSS would therefore merge all the over 110 pay structures into one but the steps under the grading system can be negotiable. All allowances would be consolidated and Internally Generated Funds (IGF) would also be channelled into government coffers," he added. Mr Smith-Graham said if this was not curtailed, it would allow the same disparities in the public sector to rear its ugly head again and defeat the purpose of the SSSS.

He said promotions and salary adjustments would be based on productivity to encourage workers to be productive. Mr Smith-Graham noted that premium would also be paid to teachers whose areas of specialisation were in short demand while the Ghana Statistical Service would also map up deprived areas so that teachers who were transferred would automatically be upgraded to enjoy certain benefits. The SSSS is a new pay policy that places all public sector employees on one vertical structure, making sure that jobs within the same job value range receive equal salary. 25 Nov. 10