Tension is mounting within Ghana’s education sector as the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) warns of a possible nationwide strike following the alleged assault of teachers by military personnel in Tarkwa Nsuaem in the Western Region.
What began as a local protest by angry teachers in the Tarkwa enclave is rapidly growing into a national labour crisis, with pressure intensifying on GNAT’s leadership to declare a nationwide industrial action in solidarity with affected educators.
More than 200,000 teachers across the country are reportedly demanding swift intervention from GNAT General Secretary, Thomas Tanko Musah, amid growing outrage over what many teachers describe as a humiliating and dangerous attack on their colleagues.
Speaking exclusively to Labour Affairs Correspondent Daniel Opoku in Accra on May 26, Mr. Tanko Musah revealed that GNAT’s national leadership is preparing to take decisive action if authorities continue to remain silent.
According to him, teachers in Tarkwa Nsuaem have already laid down their tools, accusing government, the Ghana Education Service (GES), and the Ministry of Education of failing to protect teachers and respond adequately to the incident.
The situation has triggered anger and frustration across the teaching fraternity nationwide, with more than 300,000 teachers said to be deeply disturbed by what they see as indifference from duty bearers.
Mr. Tanko Musah did not hide his disappointment.
“If the employer is there and the people who have been employed are being beaten and you are not talking, that is sheer irresponsibility, and we think that is not the way to go,” he stated.
He further urged teachers in the Western Region not to retreat from their protest until justice is served.
“As they have declared the strike in Tarkwa and they are not going to school, we commend them. And if by this weekend we don’t hear anything, the region should take it up. They should not back down until this matter is addressed,” he stressed.
GNAT has since directed teachers in Tarkwa Nsuaem to escalate their industrial action to the regional level, a move many believe could become the precursor to a nationwide strike in the coming days.
Meanwhile, days after the alleged assault, the Ghana Education Service and other relevant stakeholders are yet to publicly comment on the matter — a silence that appears to be deepening tensions within the education sector.
Mr. Tanko Musah warned that GNAT may be left with no option but to activate its full industrial strength if authorities fail to act swiftly.
“The laws allow us, Section 119 of the Labour Act, that if your life is in danger, they should remove themselves. What we are saying is that in the coming days, we shall also join if duty bearers don’t say anything,” he warned.
However, there may yet be a window for dialogue.
Sources close to the situation have told the news team that the Western Regional Directorate of the Ghana Education Service is expected to meet the aggrieved teachers on Wednesday, May 27, in an attempt to resolve the impasse before it escalates into a nationwide shutdown of schools.
Source:3news.com