NAGRAT Issues 5-day ultimatum to Akwamuman SHS over salary embargo

Accra, Ghana - October 25, 2024 - The Ghana National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has given the Asuogyaman Education Directorate and the headmaster of Akwamuman Senior High School a five-day ultimatum to reinstate the July and August salaries of certain teachers.

The teachers' salaries were withheld by Headmaster Anim-Addo Asuoko as punishment for missing a Professional Learning Community (PLC) session.

According to NAGRAT, the headmaster's actions are unauthorized and contradict the Ghana Education Service's code of conduct. The PLC initiative, introduced eight years ago, aims to support teachers' professional development and improve their skills, but attendance is not supposed to affect their salaries.

NAGRAT's Eastern Regional Chairman, Awoonor-Yevu Godwin, condemned the headmaster's actions as "disheartening" and counterproductive, emphasizing that such measures create a hostile work environment and undermine teacher morale.

“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.”

Key Demands:

- Immediate Reinstatement of Salaries: NAGRAT demands the reinstatement of the withheld salaries.
- Rescind Decision: The association calls on the headmaster to rescind his decision and lift the embargo on teacher salaries.
- Desist from Victimization: NAGRAT also demands that Municipal and District Directors of Education stop victimizing teachers who fail to attend CPD and PLC sessions.

Next Steps:

If the salaries are not reinstated, NAGRAT warns of further action. The association is advocating for teachers' rights and welfare, emphasizing that headmasters and headmistresses do not have the authority to place embargos on teacher salaries for missing PLC sessions.

Source: Lead News Online