NAGRAT issues 5-day ultimatum to Akwamuman SHS over withheld teachers’ salaries

The Ghana National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has issued a five-day ultimatum to the Asuogyaman Education Directorate and the headmaster of Akwamuman Senior High School, demanding the immediate reinstatement of the July/August salaries for certain teachers.

The ultimatum follows allegations of punitive measures taken by Headmaster Anim-Addo Asuoko, who reportedly withheld the salaries of several teachers as a penalty for their non-attendance at a Professional Learning Community (PLC) session.

NAGRAT argues that the headmaster’s actions overstep the authority provided under the Ghana Education Service’s code of conduct, which does not authorize salary suspensions or mandatory apology letters for teachers who miss PLC meetings.

The PLC initiative introduced approximately eight years ago, is intended to support teachers’ continuous professional development, improve their skills, and earn them credit points, but attendance is not supposed to affect their salaries.

At a press briefing held on October 25 at NAGRAT’s Eastern Regional Secretariat in Koforidua, NAGRAT’s Eastern Regional Chairman, Awoonor-Yevu Godwin, condemned the headmaster’s actions as “disheartening” and counterproductive, emphasising that such punitive measures create a hostile working environment and undermine teacher morale.

NAGRAT is calling for the issue to be resolved promptly, warning that further action may be taken if the salaries are not reinstated.

“It has come to our attention that teachers who were unable to attend the Professional Learning Community PLC, which popularly called PLC sessions are being victimized and treated unfairly.

“There’s nowhere in our condition of service for the Ghana Education Service which specifies that failure to attend PLC sessions warrants headmasters or headmistresses to place an embargo on teachers’ salaries, and addition insists that teachers write an apology letter before the embargo is lifted.

“Headmasters and headmistresses do not have the authority to place an embargo on the salary of a teacher who does not attend PLC sessions. It is disheartening to learn that some teachers are being penalised for not attending PLC sessions, this is not only unfair but also counter-productive and undermines the morale of teachers.

“We’re calling on the headmaster of Akwamuman SHS who continues to victimise teachers to lift the embargo, we are giving him a 5-day ultimatum to rescind his decision.”

The association which also called on the headmaster to rescind his decision and lift the embargo on the salaries of the teachers also demanded the same from the various Municipal and District Directors of Education to desist from victimization of teachers who fail to attend CPD and PLC sessions.