Wednesday, 02 September

Teacher unions suspend strike after government agrees to address salary placement concerns

Education
Representatives of teacher unions
A Coalition of Teacher Unions has suspended its planned strike over delays in placing newly promoted teachers on the appropriate salary scales.

The decision follows a meeting with the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, on Monday, August 31.

The unions had threatened to strike if the issue was not resolved by the end of the day.

They had raised concerns that newly promoted teachers had not been placed on the appropriate salary scales. This meant they were not receiving the corresponding financial benefits of their promotions.

The dispute followed a directive from the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department requiring additional lists and documentation before the promotions could be implemented.

The unions argued that the requirement was inconsistent with an earlier assurance from the Ghana Education Service (GES) that the automatic promotion system would be implemented by August.

Following Monday’s meeting, the government gave assurances and agreed on measures to resolve the matter.

One of the resolutions is that teachers will not be required to travel to their District Education Offices to submit payslips for salary-scale placement.

It was also agreed that close to 80,000 teachers will be placed on their correct salary scales.

The GES is expected to provide the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department with the necessary data to facilitate the adjustments and payments.

The unions have therefore agreed to suspend the planned strike and allow the process to continue.

The Ministry of Education said it appreciates the leadership of the teacher unions for their constructive engagement.

It said it remains committed to ensuring that teachers receive their rightful entitlements in a timely and efficient manner.

Source: classfmonline.com