Keeping the new GES boss at post is detrimental to the academic wellbeing of 8 million students- MP to Prez

Dr. Clement Apaak, a Deputy Ranking Member on the Education Committee of Parliament has expressed worry over reasons why the President has refused to revoke the appointment of the newly appointed Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Dr. Eric Nkansah.

He said several teacher unions have raised concerns over the appointment and the competence of the appointee yet the president has not considered these concerns.

He said the strike declared by some three teacher unions would have a serious impact on the quality of teachers and learning in our schools and the president must take an action now.

Three teacher unions –National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana (CCT)– have declared a strike to demand the removal of the newly appointed Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Dr. Eric Nkansah.

The three unions declared the strike last week Friday, November 4, 2022.

Addressing the media, Rev. Isaac Owusu, President of GNAT, stated that they will not call off the strike until the government addresses their concerns.

“It is unacceptable for a banker to be appointed as a Director-General of the Ghana Education Service instead of an educationist at the same time when many teachers who did the same courses and related ones were rejected by GES because it is not related to education.”

“We stated that both the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service should apologize to teachers for accepting the very qualifications they rejected when teachers presented them…We have been compelled under the current circumstances to publicly communicate to Ghanaians on our intention to go on strike, having reached the November 4 deadline we gave the government. Consequently, we have decided to embark on strike from today, Friday, November 4, 2022. By this, we are informing the general public that we are withdrawing all our services in all the pre-tertiary institutions,” he added.

Dr. Apaak reacting to the issue said the president must put the plight of students first and address the concerns of the aggrieved teachers.

To him, it makes no sense for the president to keep the new GES boss in at post when all the odds were against him stakeholders were also against his appointment.

He also raised issues over his capacity and competencies to hold such an office.

He asserted that there are equally competent and qualified individuals to hold the office.

“Will NADAA keep the Act. DG of GES to the detriment of the academic wellbeing of over 8 million Ghanaian pupils/students, whose about 400,000 teachers/masters are on strike in opposition to his appointment of Dr. Nkansah as DG. NADAA put the plight of the pupils/students first.”

Rainbowradioonline.com