Coronavirus: Private school teachers disappointed in govt over neglect

The coalition of Concern Private School Teachers Ghana (COPSTEG) says it is disappointed in President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for failing to factor teachers into the Coronavirus budget.

In a release, leadership for the group said, government has continuously ignored the plight of private school teachers in its policy intervention and has done same in this season of the lockdown.

According to the release, COPSTEG is saddened by the development although it considers the lockdown directive a crucial.

“But one thing the government or the President failed to ask is how are these teachers going to survive since our major source of income is the small salary we receive and this salary also comes from the small school and the feeding fee our employers take from the Parents.”

However, COPSTEG called on the government to do the needful.

Read the full statement below.

Coalition for Concern Private School Teachers Ghana – COPSTEG

Non-Payment of Private School Teachers Salary.

The coalition of Concern Private School Teachers Ghana (COPSTEG) is expressing its disappointment in the government and the Education Ministry for neglecting them in this trying times as the government pretends such people do not exist.

On the 16th March 2020, teachers wake up one morning to hear in the news that President Nana Addo has directed all schools be closed down due to the COVID 19 pandemic which is spreading across the country.

We believe that it’s a call in the right direction since most of the students are likely to be infected by this virus.

But one thing the President failed to ask is how are these teachers going to survive since our major source of income is the small salary we receive and this salary also comes from the small school and the feeding fee our employers take from the Parents.

As a result, most of the schools are unable to pay their staff which has to put our members into starvation.

But as we speak, government has paid all public school teachers leaving the private school teachers. Even though we are not employed by the government, the president should at least put some measures in place to see to it that we those in the private schools are also paid.

We have waited patiently, thinking that the president in his last address will mention a package for we private school teachers but nothing of that sought happened. So, for God’s sake what have we done to the government? We ask, is it that government does not realize our contribution to the education sector.

We are therefore calling on the President to:

1. Liaise with Private school owners to release some incentives for private school teachers if salaries can’t be paid between April and June.

2. Put measures in place to ensure that 2/3 of private school teachers’ salary passes through the controller.

3. Employ some of the teachers who are currently at home doing nothing to support sensitise the campaign against the spread of COVID 19.

Signed.

Sir I.B. Chambas

Acting National President.

COPSTEG.

Source: COPSTEG