Review New GES Service Scheme: Deputy Directors Of Education To GES

• Review New GES Service Scheme is the latest call by Deputy Directors Of Education To GES
• They are demanding a review of clauses that will promote stagnation within the GES and negatively affect teaching staff. 

Following plans by the Ghana Education Service to introduce a new GES Service Scheme, a group calling itself the Coalition of Aggrieved Teachers on the Rank of Deputy Director has kicked against the yet-to-be-introduced scheme and demanded that portions of it be reviewed.

The current feedback from the service staff, prior to the GES introducing the drafted scheme, indicates a rejection of the scheme due to its content and insufficient consultation with all stakeholders it will impact.

According to the current draft, the GES would only allow teachers who are eligible for promotion to advance to their new levels if there are open positions.

According to the Coalition of Aggrieved Teachers on the Rank of Deputy Director, such restritions by the GES to the promotion of teachers to the two high ranks would cause stagnation and restrict the promotion of teachers who are qualified and due for promotion.

They have therefore called on the GES to, as part of its efforts, remove all unfabourable clauses that will prohibit the promotion of teachers from the current draft of the scheme.

The newly drafted service scheme for the GES recognizes Director I, Director II, Deputy Director, Assistant Director I, Assistant Director II, and Principal Superintendent as teaching class ranks in senior high schools, according to the coalition. They stated that the new scheme relies on the availability of vacancies for the Director I and Director II ranks, which is not optimal, and they are advocating for a review of these clauses.

According to the draft, no teacher will advance until there are openings for headship or directorship at the ranks of Director I and Director II.

What Mr. Newell Anokye Abrefa Said About The New GES Service Scheme

The group’s convener, Mr. Newell Anokye Abrefa, stated in an interview with JoyNews, which the Ghana Education News portal monitored, that the clause regarding the availability of vacancies in the scheme of service will cause teachers at the rank of Deputy Director to stagnate.

“The existence of a vacancy clause in the scheme of service has caused and continues to cause stagnation among many teachers in the rank of Deputy Director.” Mr. Newell Anokye Abrefa stated:

He added that they look forward to the GES taking proactive steps to correct the error.

“We were hoping that a new scheme of service would address the cancer of stagnation that prevailed in the previous one, but rather, it has resurfaced again in grand style,” he added.

The group also expressed their displeasure with clauses in the scheme that allow non-teachers from the public sector with five years of experience to compete with long-standing teachers for director positions and heads of schools.

“We can bring people into GES to occupy the ranks of Director II and Director I who have served in top management positions in public sector organizations for five years.” This implies the appointment of non-professional teachers as directors of education and heads of schools. Where is this done?” he asked.

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The Coalition of Aggrieved Teachers at the Rank of Deputy Director is urging the Ghana Education Service and teacher unions to rectify the anomalies.

“We must immediately expunge the availability of vacancy clause, enabling teachers who have completed the required years in their current rank and are eligible for promotion to the next rank, regardless of the existence of vacancies.

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“The four-year interval for progression from Deputy Director to Director II and beyond should not affect those already in the rank of Deputy Director. He stated that only professional teachers should hold the ranks of Director II and Director I.

Mr. Newell Anokye Abrefa and his aggreived colleagues will be looking forward to a review of the tthe New GES Service Scheme and their concerns considered.