A group calling itself the Coalition of Concerned Teachers has threatened to embark on strike if they see no significant changes in their remunerations.
The group complains their salaries for the month of October have seen a massive reduction, hence, calling for the strike action.
They raised eyebrows about the unfair treatment meted out to them and threaten if the necessary reflections are not made in the payment of the salaries, they would dump their teaching equipment.
Ernest Opoku, speaking on behalf of the group explained that they realized the deductions when they went to the bank to retrieve their salaries. He said about GH?300.00 to GH?500.00 have been deducted.
He emphasized that “We don?t understand why they will deduct such an amount from our salaries. Teachers in this country are often disdained and it is about time it stops. If efforts are not put in place to correct those anomalies, we will advise ourselves.?
However, a statement released by Ghana Education Service highlights the reasons that caused the reduction in the salaries of the teachers.
The Service explained that the teachers had outstanding arrears from the year 2010 which reflected in their recent salaries in order to rectify the anomalies to revert them to their basic remunerations.
Below is a copy of the release?
The Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service have noted with concern complaints by some teachers that there is a sudden decrease in their October salaries.
Our enquiry form the Controller and Accountant general?s department (CAGD) revealed that the arrears paid under the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure and the 18% salary increment for Public Sector workers has been completed.
It will be recalled that the Ghana Government approved the payment of arrears on the Single Spine Salaries from January 2010, by installment. It also approved payment of arrears in reject of the 18% salary increment with effect from January, 2012. The payment of these arrears was effected simultaneously and ended in September 2012.
Consequently all GES Staff on Government pay roll have from October 2012 been reverted to their base salaries under the single spine salary structure.
GES Staff are therefore entreated to study their October 2012 pay slips (which are yet to be sent out by the CAGD and compare with previous pay slips which always included the arrears being paid for the particular month.
Furthermore, all GES staff who contracted loans from other third party entities who were previously not being deducted, have now been captured and the loan repayments are being deducted from October 2012.
