GES riding on Fictitious Gov’t SIC Premium to Pay Teachers – ATAG
GES riding on Fictitious Gov’t SIC Premium to Pay Teachers – ATAG.
The All Teachers Alliance Ghana (ATAG) has descended on the Ghana Education Service GES, on its current involvement in the deduction of GH¢10 from Teachers’ Salaries in June this year as a monthly deduction for what the GES termed, a GES -SIC Insurance Policy.
The Teacher Union is accusing the Ghana Education Service of riding on fictitious government premium to be paid to teachers as a deception to coerce teachers into something they know little or nothing about.
The leadership of the All Teachers Alliance, in a statement issued on August 7,2018 ,questioned the notion of the Ghana Education Service for
circulating an information on the insurance which carries scanty message and talks only about benefits without terms and conditions.
“We are wondering why GES is bent on doing something they know it is illegal.”
The Unions said it was disappointed in GNAT who holds the bargaining power to know better.
” If this unfair practice passed without a word from them, then we have every reason to believe that GNAT is just an extension of GES disguised in unionism.” they lamented.
ATAG referenced a situation where in June, Ghanaian teachers were ambushed with an insurance policy from the doorstep of Ghana Education Service (GES),which brought up a lot of noise from teachers due to the manner in which it was introduced.
All the teacher unions alluded to the fact that they were not consulted before the move and teachers across the country became alarmed about such intensions from GES.
“Earlier the government had announced of implementing an insurance policy on behalf of teachers but many of us did not know about the modality until the surprise was pulled on us.”
“After the spontaneous outcry against the policy, GES suspended the programme with the aim that proper procedures will be put in place to make the policy optional for all teachers. Little did we know that the suspension was just to enable them brief some air as to how best they can coerce teachers again.”ATAG indicated.
The Union described as unfortunate and highly unfair if GES continue with this insurance in the manner in which they want to implement it.
” It is against the right of teachers and does not speak well of a service which has come under public ridicule for decades.”
“The Ghanaian Labour Act 2003 Sections 69 and 70 clearly stipulate how such deductions should be done and clearly frown upon compulsory deduction. It sounds incongruous for a whole body like GES with its astute lawyers to descend into such a mess and seeking to play con with desperate employees.”They said.
The Teacher lamented on certain questions which it described as a common sense question and which the Union indicated, it seeks honest answers from their employers.
The Union asked the following questions :
(1) Why should they wait for teachers to go on vacation before putting out a circular claiming all those not interested should sign out through their teacher unions?
(2) Why should teachers be asked to sign out from an insurance policy they have not bought or registered for?
(3) Why would GES not put an online portal in place to enable teachers join the insurance scheme if they are so interested rather than fictitious application through the unions to sign out?
(4) Has GES briefed teacher unions (all teacher unions) on the said policy or their role in it or they are just using them?
(5) Why won’t GES ask the various headmasters in various schools to compile the list of those who want to join their insurance rather than those who don’t want to join?
(6) Is it by force for teachers to do insurance without their consent?
“We in the All Teachers Alliance Ghana (ATAG) believe this posture of GES is premature as well as premeditated to raise another empire of money institution whilst teachers continue to wallow in servitude, low standard of living and public ridicule. We think, by now GES is considering enacting our conditions of service to ease the pressure on us as professionals than insurance many teachers have already subscribed to with different companies.”It concluded.
ATAG admonished teachers to give them their backing and support to fight what they described as unfairness until equity, democracy and fairness prevail in the profession.