President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Rev. Isaac Owusu has complained on the Ghana Education Service’s (GES) failure to consult the teachers before making changes to the reopening date.
This comes after the Ghana Education Service issued a statement announcing 25th of September 2023 as the new date for the reopening of secondary schools.
Speaking on Campus Exclusive this morning, he lamented on the failure of the Ghana Education Service to consult members of the Teachers Association in their decision making process.
“They did not consult us as a union before rescheduling the date. Well, that should have been the ideal situation but this is not the first time. You know it is a challenge that is confronting us as a people; when there are stakeholders within a particular jurisdiction a decision is about to be taken, at least the ideal way should have been to consult the teacher unions. But this thing doesn’t normally happen because sometimes the [GES] feels that as an entity, they have the authority to carry out decisions without consulting other unions integral to the matter of concern.”
Reverend Owusu further urged the Ghana Education Service to ensure that the necessary resources are provided to facilitate activities in the senior high schools.
He also drew light on the effect of the reschedule on senior high schools across the country.
“Well certainly it will affect the teachers, the students and even the other stakeholders, the non -teaching staff. You know when you give a date for a reopening, every stakeholder prepares themselves to meet the set date. So if someone would have wanted to travel because he or she is aware that maybe on the 14th of September I must resume work, that person will cut off if there should be any traveling within that week. But if somebody would have wanted to travel maybe within that two days or a week and then later on and the person later on comes to find out that my reopening date has been rescheduled, you have also cost the person.”
First-year Senior High School and Senior High Technical School (SHS/SHTS) students are expected to return to their schools on September 25, 2023, as directed by the management of the GES.