Volta teachers turn cabbies during classes

Some teachers in public Senior High Schools in the Volta region have abandoned classrooms to engage in commercial transport business during school hours, Today has learnt.

Today's investigations established that professional teachers paid with taxpayers’ money to be in school and teach students have taken to driving taxi cabs and commercial buses popularly referred to as ‘trotro’ during class hours to earn something to supplement the monthly earnings they receive from the government through the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD).

Our probing revealed the practice was widespread among male teachers in communities such as Akatsi, Ho, Denu, Abor, Sagokope, Adidome, Dzodze, Afloa, Keta, and Anloga.

The rest were Adaklu, Afiadenyigba, Kpando, Ziavi, Mafi Kumasi, Nkonya, Hohoe, Alavanyo, Battor-Aveyime and Juapong. The affected schools include Anyako SHS,Anglo Awomefia SHS,Atiavi SHS,Akatsi SHS and Triama SHS among others.

It was further discovered that the practice had gained root in the above communities and had started to spread to adjoining areas in southern Volta.

The situation is causing anxiety among parents and guardians who fear their wards would be the ultimate losers if the practice continued since teaching and learning would be affected.

Opinion leaders at Akatsi in the Akatsi South district told Today that the activities of the teachers was a worry to them, but said there was little they could do to stop teachers from driving cabbies and ‘trotro’ when school was in session.

They said the PTA’s had tried to stop teachers engaging in commercial activities during class hours but proved unsuccessful.

They however indicated they would petition the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Ben Ahiafor over the matter as well as the Ghana Education Service to clamp down on the teachers.

A disturbed parent at Anloga, Mr. Nicholas Kuavidzan, averred that he was not against teachers trying to earn extra living “but they should do so when schools have closed.”

At Keta and Anloga, residents threatened to embark on demonstration to demand immediate action from the GES.

Meanwhile the teachers have justified their action, saying the pay they receive from CAGD could not survive them, hence it was necessary to do something extra in order to supplement their income.

They, however, denied abandoning lesson hours for their personal activities.

A teacher at Anglo Awomefia SHS who spoke to Today on condition of anonymity disclosed that he applied for a facility at a bank to purchase a taxicab only last year, and had not finished paying back the loan.

He wondered how someone could ask him to stop working with his taxi when he still had huge sums to pay to the bank.

According to him, teachers only drove their commercial vehicles during off-duty periods.