Confusion at Greater Heights School; teachers threaten sit-down strike

Teachers of the Greater Heights International School, a private school at Sagnarigu in the Northern region, are angry over a decision by school authorities to conduct an examination in English Language, Mathematics and Science to test their competencies.

The results of the exams, according to the teachers, would be used to determine which of the teachers will continue to work there, as those who fail would be sacked from the school.

Reeling in anger over the decision, the teachers accuse the school authorities of hiding under the pretext of the exams to deliberately terminate their appointment.

In a petition signed by the welfare executives and copied to the Regional Minister, the Regional Director of Education, the District Chief Executive for Sagnarigu, the chief of Sagnarigu and other prominent individuals, the teachers say they would use all legal means to stop the authorities from conducting the exams which is slated for June 15 and 16, 2017.

“…teachers would not write the proposed exam scheduled for 15th and 16th of June 2017. Teachers are therefore bringing to the attention of management and any other person, institution and organization that has a stake in education to bring an amicable resolution because if management insists on teachers writing the exam, we the teachers would resist through legal and any other acceptable means,” the petition read in part.

In an interview with Radio Tamale, Chairman of the Welfare Committee of the school, Abubakari Sulemana said the teachers would embark on a sit-down strike tomorrow, June 15 should the school authorities insist on conducting the examination.

“We are going to resist, we are not going to write any exam tomorrow and we are not going to take care of any child tomorrow. Tomorrow we are posting a notice here; no teaching, sit-down strike,” Sulemana said.

Some parents of the school are not so enthused about the happenings in the school. Many of them questioned the logic behind the exam, saying the school has no right to test the teachers.

Dr Isaac K Adai, a lecturer at the University for Development Studies (UDS) who also has a ward in the school says the school authorities have no right to conduct the examination. He agreed with assertions that the school was only using the exam as a decoy to sack the teachers.

“I don’t have a younger brother who is a teacher here, but it’s very bad. They have no right to do that. Somebody has been here to help you establish the school, is this the right time for you to terminate his appointment? It’s a way of terminating their appointment. They are looking for places to bring their family members, bring their own friends,” Dr Adai alleged.

Many of the parents threatened to withdraw their children from the school if the situation continued.

Meanwhile, authorities of the school have refused to comment on the current impasse, except to say that they in the process of resolving the matter.