The Education Minister, Mathew Opoku Prempeh, has expressed some sympathy for striking teachers assuring them that the government is working to address their concerns.
He also admitted that the strike was justified because of the “chronic” delays that plague remuneration of some public servants.
The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) last week embarked on a strike over unpaid salary arrears and delayed promotions.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has also joined the strike.
The Minister, during a tour of some basic schools within the Manhyia South constituency, indicated that the Government was hoping for a quick resolution.
“The teacher agitation is founded. If you are teacher and you are recruited but for one year, you have not been put on the salary scale I can understand. You and I will do the same.”
“We hope that great sense of commitment to the nation will prevail and we can talk to the teachers to go back to the classroom…When I worked as a junior doctor, it was six months before my salary came and it is not right. We have to get it right.”
The National Labour Commission (NLC) has stepped into the labour dispute and directed NAGRAT to appear before it on Wednesday, September 11.
But, in an interview with Citi News, NAGRAT President, Angel Carbonu called the bluff of the Executive Secretary of the NLC arguing that the Commission had no locus to haul the association before it.
The Ministry of Education had called on the NAGRAT members to exercise restraint in its strike action and re-engage with the government to find solutions to its problems.
