Free SHS students are more important to gov’t than teachers and their strike

While we cannot deny the fact that Free SHS students are more important to gov’t than teachers and their strike, we also know several teachers and the general public will have their own opinions on this. We believe you would agree with us after reading the full publication.

We are in an election year and the NPP led government has proven beyond doubt that students in Free SHS are more important to its election fortune than teachers. If this was not the case why will a government be willing to invest GHS3200 in buying a tablet for each student instead, but be unwiring to increase Professional Development Allowance (PDA) of teachers from GHS1200 a year to GHS3000.00.

While it would be easy for the government to increase the (PDA) by GHS1800 per teacher per year, the government prefers to spend GHS3200 on each of the 1.3 million students at the SHS because these are first time voters who can easily be lured to vote for the NPP with such freebies.

Teacher unions must be consistent with their demands and should not compromise if they resume their strike action at any time. This is an election year and a great opportunity to put the government in a difficult position if they want to achieve any meaningful results from their demands through strike action.

There are approximately 600,000 teachers in the three unions, but there are at least 1.3 million free SHS students.

Given that about 95% of the Free SHS students are of voting age, the government is ready to finance a GHS3200 on one student, one tablet project for students but is not willing to approve a new GHS3000.00 Professional Development Allowance for teachers.

Teachers must ensure that the government sees their seriousness if their demands are to be met. Union leaders should formulate more effective counter-suggestions, backed by facts, if the government makes offers that deviate from their demands.

For the government, one student one ablet will bring in more votes in the 2024 elections than the votes about 600,000 teachers will bring. Given that some of these teachers are already ardent supporters of the NPP, they will cast their votes for the party regardless of the circumstances.

From the above discussion, it is clear that the government is not worried about teacher strike actions because they have become irrelevant at this juncture.

Do you know agree with us that Free SHS students are more important to gov’t than teachers and their strike?

The government has handled teacher strike actions with leniency, and it is laughable how quickly union leaders give in to the government during such strikes.

Teacher uions have threatened to resume their strike because they have not had any positive developments.

From a leadership perspective, teachers union leaders seem to be failing their members, but there are things they can do to put the government in a terrible position if they want to be taken seriously for the first time.

READ: 14 Unaddressed Challenges That Leave Teachers Open to Scams

1. Declare a new strike at least two days prior to reopening.

Professional negotiators should provide specific advice and guidance to teacher union leaders to prevent them from making mistakes. They could include one of these negotiators in their meetings with the FWSC.

2. If you get a court order from FWSC, do not call off a strike. This is what the government uses to make unions look timid.
3. Unions should get a good legal team in place for any legal issues that might arise if they disregard the court order.
4. Keep teachers up to date with minute by minute update on negotiations, and do not wait to call a press conference.
5. Teacher union leaders must become more bold and exhibit a positive defiance attitude, knowing very well the kind of government they are dealing with through the fair wages and salaries commission, which will always favour the government even though it is supposed to be fair in its dealings.
6. Teachers must, on their part, be ready to speak in support of their colleagues if they get the chance on TV or radio. The practice of teachers hiding and speaking anonymously about issues that affect them makes the fighting difficult.

READ: Mr. Carbonu Advises Gullible Teachers on WhatsApp Contributions

It is time for teachers and their unions to be super bold if they want to get the best from their negotiations and strike actions.

Source: Ghanaeducationnews.org