BARGAIN FOR BETTER SALARIES...But be mindful of budgetary constraints, Veep tells teachers (LEAD STORY, OCT 6, 2010)

THE Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, yesterday urged the leadership of teacher associations to be circumspect in their negotiations with the government over the payment of higher salaries and allowances.
He said although teachers had bargaining powers to demand higher salaries, they should be mindful of budgetary constraints and limitations of the government.
“I urge you to continue to negotiate with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, but this must be done in tandem with the budgetary constraints of the government,” he stressed.
Mr Mahama said this when he joined thousands of teachers to celebrate the 16th National Best Teacher Award and the World Teachers Day in Koforidua.
Mr Kingsley Akom, a tutor of the Kumasi Technical Institute, was adjudged the Overall Best Teacher for this year’s edition of the awards scheme, while Mr Samuel Addae of the Suame Methodist Junior High School and Mr Peter Amponsah of Akompanin L/A Primary became the first and second runners-up, respectively.
Mr Mahama said Ghana had made significant progress towards attaining a middle income status and reminded teachers of their role towards achieving that goal.
The Vice-President said the government was collecting data to provide the basis for it to satisfy teachers in respect of their professional allowances and provide other incentives to enhance their welfare.
He said the nation’s success depended on its education and called on teachers to approach their task with dedication, eschew laissez faire attitude and work towards the development of the nation’s human resource.
Additionally, he said the recovery of the nation’s gains in education could only centre on the teacher, adding, “It is only through the dedication of the teacher that we can build a better nation and bring the children back on track”.
He said the success of education required the collective efforts of all stakeholders, including district assemblies, communities, traditional rulers and religious bodies, stressing that “the modest gains chalked up should be sustained”.
Mr Mahama said between now and 2012, the government intended to construct more than 4,200 classrooms to eliminate schools under trees and also eliminate the shift system.
He said 214 senior high schools had been targeted to be provided with accommodation to supplement existing ones and gave the assurance that those projects would be completed in the next few months.
He said the free school uniforms, the capitation grant and the free exercise books projects would continue and be sustained, while new interventions would be introduced to improve education.
The Vice-President commended teachers for their immense contribution to the development of education in the country.
In a message delivered on behalf of teacher associations, including the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), the President of GNAT, Mr Paul Apanga, praised the government for its efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly regarding education for all.