Teachers give GES an ultimatum to put them on the right salary scale
Teachers who pass the February promotion exams have given the Ghana Education Service (GES) an ultimatum to put them on their rightful salary scale by the end of September 2021. A press statement shared with Educandghana.net reveals that teachers who were successful in this year’s promotion exams with the results released in May 2021 have not tasted a change in rank which will in effect cause an adjustment in their salaries.
According to the affected teachers, after the promotion exams in February 2021, results were released after 3 months and they were promised they will be served letters but to their dismay, it has been another 3 months and no letters have been issued to that effect. The Letters are important as it is required when one is even seeking for assurance to teach in SHS, Basic school or another district or Region as last promotion letter is requested.
“We are in the period where assurances and releases are being applied for and word of mouth can’t be accepted as having been promoted”, they added.
The affected victims also added that there has been discrimination in the effective date of promotion.
“It is sad to state GES and government discriminate against employees as all employees are not treated fairly when it comes to payment of arrears to those promoted. Most teachers promoted this year suffered a similar faith in 2017. In 2016 after our then promotion interviews, successful applicants had our effective date as 1st September 2015 and a notional date as May 2017. This means our promotion salaries due for about a year and a half were not paid as they stated paying as in May 2017 instead of September 2015. Yet, those promoted after us were not treated the same. This cast doubt in our minds and can affect commitment”
The affected teachers have therefore said that they won’t accept this unfair treatment from the Government and the GES again.
The affected victims also went ahead to throw more light on the unfortunate treatment meted out to them after months of struggle to pass the promotion exams.
“It’s 3months now since we were made to buy an e-voucher of GHS10 to check our status, we are still being recognized with our hold rank as the new rank has not been recognized by our employers who know very well the exams we took was not for 2021 but if not for the processes involved we should have done with the exams and put on the scale before 2021. They know it takes retrospective effect but they are delaying to put as on scale on time and we pray this is not another strategy to use the notional date on us once again to deny us salary differentials due us.
We those who were promoted after us had their promotion arrears, financially they were empowered than us as such bulk payment can be channel into projects, I guess we also deserve to invest in the project and thus, we are ready to use all legal means possible to avert it this time around because “once bitten twice shy”
The teachers however indicated that they are grateful to the various teacher unions for their unflinching support and called on them to continue being proactive and revealed that some union leaders are also affected by the situation as well. They, therefore, revealed that they are ready to act by the end of September 2021 if they are not put on the scale.
“In conclusion, we are grateful to you, our teacher unions for their unflinching support to ensure we are put on the scale now and not shortchanged again. Interestingly, some union leaders are affected too as they are also in the classroom. We are ready to act by end of September this year if we are not put on the scale. The government we believe with her listening ear will act accordingly to the benefits of all especially, Ghana.”
