Government has appealed to the members of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) to exercise restraint as it takes measures to resolve their grievances.
Members of NAGRAT and GNAT have given notice they will lay down their tools from Monday, March 18 due to what they say has been the failure of government and other relevant stakeholders to address their grievances relating to their conditions of service.
According to them, the resolution of the matter had delayed unnecessarily.
Information and Media Relations Minister, Mahama Ayariga, speaking on Citi FM's Eyewitness News on Friday however gave the aggrieved teachers government's assurance that the issue will be properly scrutinised and resolved.
�As usual, our doors have always been opened and the framework that we have always used to resolved issues will be used. There is no doubt that there are challenges.
The Minister of Education has just taken over and definitely has taken charge of the various institutions� So they should give the Minister a little more time� She understands some of these issues and these matters will be resolved.�
Mr. Ayariga clarified that the concerns earlier presented to government in January could not be addressed because �we had no appointments made regarding substantive positions.�
He however gave the assurance that the �Chief of Staff will appropriately get the relevant sector Ministers to do what is expected of them.�
Meanwhile, NAGRAT and GNAT have given indications that they will return to the classroom if government takes immediate steps to resolve their grievances.
The Chairman of the Greater Accra Regional branch of NAGRAT, Patrick Aboyibor told Citi News that the timing of the strike was merely coincidental with the start of the West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
�We don�t have any specific time for going on strike and this is the appropriate time we think we have to go on strike because we think our issues have delayed unnecessarily.�
According to him, the Association sent notice to go on strike in January this year but government failed to address their issues as earlier promised hence their decision to embark on the industrial action with few weeks to the examinations.
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