Teachers strike comment: Edu. Minister lacked emotional intelligence – Baako

Veteran Journalist Abdul Malik Kweku Baako says the Minister of Education failed to exercise emotional intelligence by accusing the opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC) of being behind the teachers’ strike.

According to him, the teachers have allowed the NDC to influence them to embark on the industrial action, claiming that credible information available to him suggested that some NDC members met with some teacher groups to plan the strike.

His comment follows a nationwide strike declared by three teacher unions, Ghana National Association of Teachers(GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers(NAGRAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) effective Monday, December 9, 2019, over the failure of government to pay legacy arrears of members.

The aggrieved teachers argue that, the arrears span the period 2012 to 2016 – a situation they described as worrying.

However, the Education Minister in an interview on Asempa FM last Friday slammed the teachers for their action taken saying it was political.

“NDC has instigated teachers to go on strike; we know the conversations that have gone on,” he claimed.

Dr Opoku-Prempeh could not fathom why the teachers will still declare strike when out of 120, 000 teachers, they have validated 95, 000 and paid over 87, 000.

But speaking on Peace FM Wednesday monitored by Kasapafmonline.com, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako stated though the Minister is one of the hardworking appointees his allegation was unnecessary.

He emphasized the need for the Minister to work on his communications and his emotional reactions.

“The Minister said the NDC was behind the strike action I think that communication was uncalled for. When you are negotiating with people who are agitating sometimes how you go about communications is critical and then who you are and what you are matters and has an impact on what you say and when you say it. I think though he’s delivering as a Minister he has a problem with his communications sometimes and his emotional reactions. I think that he will have to take that on board and especially when the agitation is unfolding and people are not sure which is which, and who is right or wrong. How you communicate is very important because you need to get the public behind you. So I think that comment from him was a minus.”