In recent times, concerns have been raised regarding the promotion of in-service teachers who have completed degree programs but have not been upgraded to their rightful ranks in the Ghana Education Service (GES). Mr. Richard Kwashie Kovey, the Convenor for the Campaign Against Privatisation and Commercialisation of Education (CAPCOE), has made a passionate appeal to the GES to rectify this situation and promote diploma-in-service teachers who have furthered their education to degree level.
GES Promotion Denials: A Growing Concern.
According to Mr. Kovey, many teachers who completed the three-semester degree top-up program offered by the University of Cape Coast, in collaboration with GES, have been denied the rank of principal superintendent—a position traditionally granted to degree holders within the service. This denial has become a pressing issue, affecting the morale of countless teachers who were initially encouraged to upgrade their qualifications under a formal agreement between GES, teacher unions, and the University of Cape Coast.
Understanding the Agreement
Before Colleges of Education in Ghana were upgraded to degree-awarding institutions, GES and teacher unions partnered with the University of Cape Coast to allow diploma-holding in-service teachers to pursue degree programs. The objective was to help these teachers meet new employment standards set by GES. As part of this long-standing arrangement, it was agreed that teachers who completed their degrees would be promoted to the rank of principal superintendent upon returning to service.
However, despite successfully completing their degree programs, many teachers are now facing roadblocks. District, municipal, and metropolitan directors of education have reportedly rejected requests for upgrading their ranks, which Mr. Kovey describes as both surprising and unjust.
Unfair Promotion of New Graduates
Adding to the frustration is GES’s recent decision to open recruitment for the first batch of four-year degree graduates from Colleges of Education. These recruits will automatically be placed at the rank of principal superintendent, putting them ahead of their in-service colleagues who obtained the same degree in 2023 and are still waiting for promotions. This discrepancy has led CAPCOE and other education stakeholders to label the situation as “unfortunate and unfair.”
Mr. Kovey stressed that this practice threatens to demoralize teachers who have already been working under challenging conditions. The unfair treatment could potentially dampen their passion and commitment to the profession.
CAPCOE’s Appeal for Industrial Harmony
In response to the growing unrest, CAPCOE is calling on GES to ensure fairness by compiling a list of teachers who have completed the three-semester top-up degree program from the University of Cape Coast, as well as those who obtained degrees from other recognized universities. CAPCOE insists that these teachers should be automatically placed at the rank of principal superintendent, ahead of the new recruits, to ensure industrial peace.
“This is a matter of justice and fairness,” Mr. Kovey stated, emphasizing the need for GES to honor its commitment to the professional growth and development of in-service teachers.
Conclusion
The GES is now faced with the challenge of addressing the grievances of in-service teachers who have worked tirelessly to upgrade their qualifications and meet the new standards of the profession. Failure to do so could lead to widespread dissatisfaction and undermine the overall morale within the education sector.
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