GNAT in the news

New Board of Trustees sworn-in for the GNAT Provident Fund

 

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT)  has inaugurated a new Board of Trustees to administer Tier-3 contributions of members.

 

The Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Hon. Ignatius Baffour Awuah when swearing them in, charged the Board of Trustees for the provident fund  not to misapply the contributions of members but rather ensure its judicious management.

 

The Sector Minister noted, the misuse of such contributions is an offence under the laws of Ghana. He urged all members to join the Fund to boost their pensions. He reminded the Trustees that they are accountable to members the GNAT hence they should make the Trust Deed their bible.  Under the National Pensions Act 766, beneficiaries are to make compulsory contributions to the first and second tiers. However, Tier Three contributions are voluntary. 

 

The Board of Trustees is chaired by Ransford Kofi Nsiah Lolih with Thomas Musah, Victor DeGraft Etsison, Peter Obeng Nyamekye, Helen Asantewaa, Daniel Tomey, Isaac Baah and Philip Dela Zumanu.

 

President of GNAT, Rev. Isaac Owusu noted, “it is important that the newly inaugurated board works in the interest of GNAT”.He added, “with an association that has a membership of over 200,000, having only 10,000 of them covered by the GNAT Provident Fund is not acceptable”; thus encouraging them to help convince members to contribute to the Fund and enhance its growth.

 

He assured all members of GNAT about the commitment of elected National Officers and Administrators in this “endeavor because neither me as President or the General Secretary have any other interest but to see to the development of our great association”, he added.

 

General Secretary of GNAT Thomas T. Musah said the “Board has come at an opportune time to ensure members continue to have confidence in how their contributions are managed”.

 

The event was also attended by Former National President, Mrs. Philippa Larsen, former officers, current Deputy General Secretaries and other officers from across the country.  The National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA) was visibly represented by Mad. Reniel  Addo Akorli who is incharge of licensing and registration.

Withdraw rent directive now - GNAT

The largest teacher union in Ghana sent a strong signal to the Ghana Education Service that any attempt to get certain category of Staff to pay rent will be resisted fiercely. The association was reacting to a circular signed by Mrs. Felicia Agyeibea Okai (Western Regional Director of Education) informing all Teachers/Staff occupying School/Government bungalow(s), that effective from 1st March 2022, they are to pay 10% of their basic salary as rent.

The GNAT believes this directive is unfair Labour practice and a breach of union trust since such a directive is against the spirit and letter of the Collective Agreement as enacted in August 2020.  Read the full statement below:

 

 

Ghana@65: GNAT tells gov’t to provide textbooks, other teacher-learning resources in schools

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) is asking the Ministry of Education through its collaborative agencies to ensure textbooks and other teacher-learning resources are provided in schools.

In a statement to mark Independence Day, GNAT laments the “absence of resources for teachers and textbooks for pupils three clear years into the implementation” of the New Education Curriculum.

The statement signed by GNAT General Secretary, Thomas Tanko Musah proposed greater collaboration “among the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service and all Local Assemblies to address poor school infrastructure in rural communities”.

GNAT is also asking For Government to set the roadmap for the start of “the 10,000 Housing Scheme promised by the President of the Republic” during the launch of 6th Quadrennial Conference of GNAT early this year.

In this time of Ghana’s development, GNAT asks all Ghanaians to rally around the main objectives around which independence was achieved on 6th March, 1957.

Below is the full statement…

GNAT HQ – Accra
Date: 6th March, 2022

PRESS RELEASE

GNAT AND THE INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) wishes all Ghanaians, especially the tens of thousands of teachers who are toiling despite the odds to contribute to Ghana’s development.

Indeed, teachers from all walks of life, in every part of the then Gold Coast, took part in the struggle to achieve independence.

It suffices to say a lot has been acheived as GNAT and as a country but the teacher continues to work in conditions that make it seem like the struggle for independence is still on.

Teachers, though arguably one of the key backbones of Ghana’s development, are still lacking many fundamental resources to work with not to talk about the welfare concerns within the current times.

As we mark 65 years of Ghana’s Independence, GNAT proposes the following;

  1. The Ministry of Education through its collaborative agencies ensure textbooks and other teacher-learning resources are provided in schools, following their absence, three clear years into the implementation of the New Education Curriculum.
  2. Foster greater collaboration among the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service and all Local Assemblies to address poor school infrastructure in rural communities.
  3. For Government to set the roadmap for the start of the 10,000 Housing Scheme promised by the President of the Republic during the launch of 6th Quadrennial Conference of GNAT early this year.

In this time of Ghana’s development, GNAT asks all Ghanaians to rally around the main objectives around which indepedence was achieved on 6th March, 1957.

God bless GNAT, God bless Ghana.

SIGNED

Thomas T. Musah
General Secretary
GNAT

We are "tired" of the National Teaching Council - GNAT

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) wrote a strong worded letter to the Minister of Education and other related agencies protesting about the introduction of entrance  examination for Teacher Trainees across the country. The largest Teacher Union in the country is of the opinion that the NTC is over stepping its boundaries and must be called to order. Find

below:

 

 

 

 

 

You teach KG pupils, not lecture them – GNAT General Secretary

KG children will be tired by 12 if semester system is introduced - GNAT Gen. Sec.

Children need to learn through play- GNAT Gen. Sec.

GNAT General Secretary declares semester system dead on arrival

 

The General Secretary of GNAT, Mr. Thomas Musah, has said that children in Kindergarten need to learn through play and not straight lectures.

His agitation comes on the back of the proposed introduction of the Semester System into the basic education system. He expressed his thoughts in an interview with JoyNews.

Mr. Musah believes children need to learn through flexible and accepted means which is the “learn through play” method. According to him, “at the basic level, we teach, we don’t lecture and if you look at the UNICEF way of learning, they have what you call learning through play, you don’t go and lecture somebody at the Kg level, you learn through what is called play. It is an activity-oriented approach,” he argued.

He further noted that “KG children will be tired by 12 if the new system is introduced,”. This he said to prove a point that pupils in the kindergarten level are not intellectually ready to grasp straight lectures but are quick to grasp playful teachings.

He further declared the semester system dead on arrival, noting that there is no way it is going to function. Meanwhile, the Ghana Education Service is still in consultation with other stakeholders on the subject matter.

Semester system for basic schools: Proposal is dead on arrival, kick it out - GNAT

Basic students to stay in school for six months

Govt considers restructure of basic education

KG pupils get tired by 12 noon, says GNAT General Secretary

 

The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Thomas Musah, has described the decision by the government to introduce a semester system at the basic level of education as one that is dead on arrival.

He explained that it does not make professional sense that people who are at their formative years of education, would be subjected to such a system as going through semesters.

Citing international bodies like the UNICEF who have universally agreed learn through interaction and action, he believes the move is a wrong one.

“At the basic level, we teach; we don’t lecture, and if you look at UNICEF’s own concept of teaching and learning, they have what we call learning through play. You don’t go and lecture somebody at KG level: you learn through what we call play, it is activity-oriented. If you start with the children with this activity-oriented approach, and don’t forget that you are now doing that standard based curriculum, and this is a child-centered learning which is international,” he said.

In an interview on the JoyNews, monitored by GhanaWeb, he further explained that it gets worse that the new proposal seeks to keep children in school for up to six months.

This, he added, is not something that is practical and he explains why.

“And while we accept that even with UNICEF, who are promoting this, that children must learn through play, by 12:00, the KG children would have been tired and you see them sleeping in the class. Aside all that, you are asking the children to stay in school from January to somewhere June,” he added.

Thomas Musah also said that in all of his professional life as a teacher, this is an unthought-of thing for him and he is sure that even before its implementation, it is a decision that will fail.

“I have been in the system since 1989; you can calculate the number of years I have been in the teaching profession and so this particular thing that we are saying, it is dead on arrival; it is dangerous. To introduce a semester system at the KG level, it is dangerous,” he said.

 

Source: Ghana Web

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