The incoming President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Carbonu, has appealed to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to reinstate the two head teachers who were sacked for allegedly charging illegal fees under the free SHS programme.
Mr. Carbonu on Citi FM’s news analysis Programme , The Big Issue, sent a direct appeal to the Chairman of the Ghana Education Service (GES) Council who was also on the show, Michael Nsowah, to “put in a word” for the two to be reinstated.
[contextly_sidebar id=”nMAzhbd3xjftuD910NK1BuM107p0s9ph”]In his appeal, Mr. Carbonu said: “My boss, as an executive of your teacher unions , I’m pleading on behalf of heads of interdicted heads of schools that if you can put in a word for those heads to be reprimanded and reinstated.”
The two teachers were dismissed after some 19 teachers, including the two, were invited for questioning by the GES on Thursday, to respond to allegations that they were requesting parents and guardians to pay fees already absorbed by the government under its free SHS policy.
Mr. Cabornu believes the teachers might have committed what he describes as “mistakes” because the free SHS policy is an entirely new programme they [headteachers] were not familiar with.
“It is a new programme and we are all learning to correct our mistakes like the programme itself is correcting its mistakes.”
Social Commentator, Sydney Casely Hayford, in a sharp rebuttal downplayed Mr. Carbonu’s appeal, insisting that the two had to be sanctioned for breaching the law.
“The guys have been found breaking the rules. They have deliberately done it to their own personal advantage. They have to face the consequences.”
Dismissal of head teachers “too harsh”
The President of NAGRAT, Christian Addae Poku, had earlier described the dismissal as harsh, adding that the GES failed to follow due process in exacting punishment on the two.
“As unions, we are really worried about the development. Much as we appreciate that the employer would have to do everything to make sure that the right thing has to be done, we believe that listening to what has transpired over the past few hours, it is clear that due process has not been properly followed especially with regards to the two people who have been virtually demoted as headmasters. We want to draw GES’ attention to it,” Addae Poku argued.
The headmaster of Pentecost SHS in Koforidua, Mr. Blasu Wisdom, is one of the head teachers relieved of his post for allegedly charging illegal fees, and he is to also to be re-posted to teach in a classroom.
The assistant headmaster of Duffor SHS, Rev. S P Elewokor, was also relieved of his post and is to be re-posted to teach in the classroom.
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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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