Education is often cited as one of the most important determinants of Ghana’s economic growth because of the crucial role it plays in the development of the country’s human capital base. The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has written a letter to withdraw from Professional Learning Community activities.
Below is the letter ;
WITHDRAWAL FROM PROFFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES (PLC)
The Professional Learning Community (PLC) programme activities in our schools is meant to improve Teacher professionalism and to enhance teaching learning activities. Unfortunately, it has become a means of victimization and stress to the already over burdened Teacher.
According to section 20 of Act 651, ie the Labour Law “in any undertaking every worker shall be entitled to leave for not less than 15 working days with full pay in any calendar year of continues service”.
What this means is that, the lowest ranked public service workers should enjoy not less than 15 working days of leave annually. The number of annual leave days varies according to the rank of the Public Sector worker.
Unfortunately, the Ghana Education Service (GES) has not clearly come out stating its clear policy on Teachers annual leave hence the assumption that, the holidays are the leave days of the Teacher.
Because of lack of clarity, some Heads of Schools, District Directors and Regional Directors have introduced their own local measures to compel Teachers who are on holidays to be present for PLC activities.
There are some cases where some Heads of schools without resort to the management of the Ghana Education Service, placed embargo on the salaries of Teachers for failing to participate in PLC activities while on holidays.
In the light of the above situation, NAGRAT calls on all it’s members to withdraw immediately from all PLC activities in the schools until such a time that the
management of the Ghana Education Service clarifies the situation with clear directives.
We also call on the Director General to come out with clear policy on PLC activities vis a vis the holiday or rest period of teachers.
We call on the Director General to come out with clear policy with regards to Teachers statutory leave as prescribed in law.
If the above unacceptable situation persists, we will have no option than to ex industrial action to push home our legitimate demands.
