The 7th annual delegates conference of the Manya Krobo Municipal Teachers’ Welfare has taken place at Odumase-Krobo in the Eastern Region with a call on authorities to ensure that the United Nation's SDG 4 which aims to ensure quality education by 2030 is achieved.
Dr. Nene Narh Tekpertey II, Sipim of Manya-Aklomuase in the Manya Krobo Traditional Area says the welfare of teachers must be critically revised to ensure that SDG 4 is achieved.
Chairing the event, Dr. Narh Terkpertey said, “Education, whether formal, informal, or non-formal to me serves as the pivot of machinery in which the other 15 SDGs could be achieved. Therefore, teachers are the most important resources for the world to achieve this agenda 2030 set by the UN. Hence the welfare of our teachers, especially in Africa and for that matter, Ghana must critically be revised”.
He stressed on the need to address the many challenges bothering teachers including teacher promotions, failure to promptly put promoted teachers on a scale to reflect their salaries, teachers having to resort to industrial action before their grievances are addressed, the non-availability of risk allowances, and the absence of accommodation allowances.
Dr. Terkpertey said though many factors influence the performance of schools and education, welfare provision is vital in determining the success of educational policies. “The government, policymakers, and the Ghana Education Service (GES) must seek teachers’ welfare and ensure regular payment of salary, prompt promotion, fringe benefit, other incentive packages, and in-service training as these in the shortest possible time will erupt the quality in the education sector,” he said.
Lower Manya Krobo Education Director, Mr. Sam Tettey expressed his appreciation to all who played a role in ensuring that they have very vibrant welfare for both teaching and non-teaching staff within the municipality.
"For a family or an organization to stay strong and united, the welfare of its members must be of prime importance to its leadership. A family or an organization that has the welfare of its members at heart grows and lasts longer,” he said.
He commended the welfare executives for holding the fort to sustain the welfare and to the members for contributing to its success.
The education director stressed that contributing to the workplace welfare scheme should not be by choice, but rather mandatory so that in the event of a loss of a member, the burden on the group is reduced to the barest minimum.
Mr. Tettey urged teachers who are currently not members of the scheme either due to choice or technical hitches to ensure that they get registered as welfare is compulsory.
Also present were officials from the Municipal Education Directorate, representatives of Teacher Unions including GNAT and NAGRAT, past and present executives of welfare, and Heads of Senior High and Basic Schools.
On his part, MCE for Lower Manya Krobo, Hon Simon Kwaku Tetteh also advised teachers to pool resources for welfare schemes to avoid loan operators who cheat them by imposing huge interest rates on their loans.
He cited good health, housing, education, and retirement, as the most identifiable benefits teachers would gain from the credit unions and welfare schemes.
The Assembly chief stressed the need for the executive to continue to be reliable, trustworthy, truthful, accountable, and committed to the task assigned to them.
The MCE while admitting the immense contributions of teachers to the socio-economic development of the country noted that President Akufo-Addo was not reneging on his commitment to the welfare issues such as teacher upgrading and promotion challenges, allowances, and other tenable concerns of teachers.
Mr. Tetteh also commended the teachers for instituting the fund as the government alone cannot single-handedly address the needs of teachers.
“When you come together to pool resources for welfare schemes, it would prevent you from subjecting yourselves to loan operators who usually cheat you when you need financial assistance by imposing huge interest rates on the loans they give,” said the Assembly chief, adding that the situation usually puts teachers in a difficult situation and their performance in the classroom.
According to the MCE, the teachers stood to benefit from good health, housing, education, and retirement if they made their welfare formidable.
He charged the newly elected executives to be reliable, trustworthy, truthful, accountable, and committed to the task given to them.
Two new executive members were elected to join the old executive members who retained their positions for another three-year term.
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Some teachers at the conference