Teacher Unionism: The Birth of GNAT, NAGRAT & CCT and their current malfunctions and illegalities piercing the hearts of teachers

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Coalition of Concern Teachers (CCT) have recently left all teachers in shock for their current malfunctions, illegalities and incompetencies.

Teachers’ right are being raped in broad daylight to say the least  and constantly abused without protection from these mother unions and teacher standard of living continue to de-escalate on continuous basis.

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) was formed out of dissection with GNAT dealings on issues concerning graduate teachers in Ghana. It was constituted as an autonomous body by a resolution adopted at its National Delegates Congress at St. Louis Training College, Kumasi, in October 1998.

The history of the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) could be traced to the Ashanti Region, where the group was formed in the wake of agitations by teachers over discrepancies in their salaries. By 2011, the Coalition was making a strong wave in Ghana and had become a major thorn in the flesh of GNAT and NAGRAT. It was believed that the CCT is angry with the leadership of the GNAT and the NAGRAT, for failing to represent the true interest of teachers. The coalition describes the leadership of the two bodies as being incompetent.

ATAG was born in May in 2016 and became a fully-fledged union in September 2016. ATAG and Innovative Teachers led by Mr. Stephen  Donsu are making a strong wave in Ghana and had become a major thorn in the flesh of GNAT , NAGRAT and CCT.  They also believed strongly that the well-being of teachers had been ignored by the mother unions as they do not seek the collective interest of the teachers they represent. They accused GNAT of being in bed with GES and doing the biddings of government and NAGRAT of being too dormant and irresponsive. They believe teachers’ are being cheated and treated like an innocent sheep ready for slaughter. Dues and funds are not managed to be benefited fully by teachers but rather use to increase the burden of teachers through insatiable loans.

However, cracks in the minds of the leaderships of the three professional teachers’ unions in the country have come to the fore in the recent struggles of teachers in Ghana for better conditions.

Many believe that there is too much laxity in GNAT in fighting for the right of teachers. The emergence of NAGRAT and CCT seem to have added more injury to sour. The crazy appetite of these unions is for amassing wealth through the accumulation of assets of which teachers don’t benefit directly.

Teachers who are due for promotion are being denied whiles those who have gotten their promotion either by the grace of the Almighty or through other means too have not been place on their rightful ranks.

Again the introduction of NTC as a body mandated by law  to license all teachers in Ghana has also brought nothing but stress,  irrelevant accumulating of points for renewal and an unlawful deduction of teachers salary every year.

Allowance as known by all persons is not subject to tax but it is only in Ghana that allowances paid to teachers as Professional Development Allowances are subjected to tax.

If not for greed and selfish interest on the part of these teacher unions, how can deductions be made from teachers salaries without any agreement signed or granted permission by the members.

Teachers are being shortchanged by the government with harsh policies and the unions are helpless.Unfortunately, these acclaimed unions have grave weaknesses which make them either ineffective or malfunction in representing teachers in full force.

Perhaps, I may like to spare the ATAG and Innovative Teachers group since they just stepped into the arena. If the trust and confidence can be restored in the profession then Innovative Teachers and ATAG must work hard to represent the interest of teachers well or better still ALL THESE GREEDY TEACHER UNIONS MUST BE DISSOLVED.

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