The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has warned that it will not hesitate to direct its members to close down schools if attacks and assaults on teachers continue in communities across the country.
According to the Association, increasing incidents of violence against teachers are undermining the smooth delivery of education and creating an unsafe working environment for educators.
GNAT says teachers deserve protection and respect and insists it will take firm action if their safety is not guaranteed.
Speaking at GNAT’s 7th National Quadrennial Conference in Accra on January 5, the President of the Association, Reverend Isaac Owusu, drew attention to what he described as a worrying trend of attacks on teachers by students and members of host communities.
“Your Excellency, of late teachers are being attacked and assaulted by groups of people, including students and members of the communities in which they work,” he said.
Reverend Owusu cited a recent incident in the Garu District of the Upper East Region, which he said had deeply shaken the teaching fraternity.
“A recent example, Your Excellency, is the shooting incident in the Garu District of the Upper East Region. The late Yahya Bukari was a teacher and a GNAT member who was shot dead in the line of duty,” he said. “But for the intervention of this teacher, many schoolchildren would have been killed, and until today we have not heard anything. Your Excellency, let us break protocol today and make a declaration on the matter.”
GNAT also used the platform to demand an immediate review of the Single Spine Pay Policy, describing current conditions of service as inadequate and unfair to teachers.
In response, President John Dramani Mahama assured teachers of government’s firm commitment to dealing decisively with assaults on educators.
“Indeed, I saw the video where a teacher was being beaten for not allowing students to cheat,” the President said. “The unfortunate thing is that when the matter went to the police station, the parents said they had settled the issue. This is assault and it is criminal.”
President Mahama said he was dissatisfied with how the matter was handled and insisted that the law must take its course.
“I said the children should be booked through the legal process, and if nothing at all, they should have been bonded to be of good behaviour,” he stated.
He gave a strong assurance that attacks on teachers will not be tolerated. “As for assault and attacks on teachers, we will deal with it,” the President said.
The Association says it will continue to engage government and stakeholders to ensure the safety, welfare and dignity of teachers across the country.
