Director of Communications for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Sammy Gyamfi has taken a swipe at the government’s posturing in dealing with striking University Teachers.
According to him, the Finance Minister and the Education Minister have taken an entrenched position and are appearing to be unperturbed by the actions of the teachers and that is what is infuriating the teacher.
He believes that until the Finance Minister and the Education Minister change their posture towards the lecturers, they will continue to strike and that will not only distort the academic calendar but also affect students.
“It is all connected to the cost of living and the conditions of living of the people. If those who are working for the development of the country do not see any form of an increase in their salaries but see the political class enjoying significant salary increases they won’t agree.
In 2013 when the single spine was been introduced there was an arrangement that salaries of lecturers in Universities should be pegged around $2,000. Till date the government has not been able to implement that. Since this government came into office, it has had several meetings with UTAG where members were promised a lot. But when they promise the teachers and they go back to work, the government doesn’t fulfil her promises. So it’s a mixture of so many things including unfulfilled promises and the lack of respect on the part of the government.”
He continued ” If you look at the posturing of the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Education on this issue, that also another reason why the teachers are angry and have declared an indefinite strike. They are not treating the issue with the seriousness it deserves. Now that teachers say they are on strike means that the academic timetable will be distorted”.
Sammy Gyamfi said with these kinds of developments, it is clear that Ghana’s education system is gradually being destroyed by the current government due to its incompetence.
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