Government not taking teachers seriously because of multiple Teacher Unions - Expert

A lecturer and psychologist, Samuel Ziggah, has advised all existing teacher unions in the country to collapse their groups and merge as one.

He told Kwabena Agyapong on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm that the multiplicity of teacher unions in the country has weakened the teaching front.

Mr. Ziggah said all unions must merge all their associations and form one association under the name ‘Ghana Union of Teachers’ so they would be very strong and become a force to reckon with.

To him, when they do that, they would be firm and have the authority to listen to their concerns without hesitation.

"If they refuse to merge all existing associations and form one union to champion their course, things will forever remain the same,” he stressed.

He opined that teachers' working conditions are terrible and dates back to history but commended Kuntu Acheampong as one person who increased the salaries of teachers by 100%.

He asserted that the teacher unions failed to take advantage of the single spine salary structure to have better conditions.

He said the teacher unions failed to hire consultations to represent their interest like other bodies under the late Prof. John Evan Arra-Mills.

He added that the issue is not about the salary but the condition of service.

Mr. Ziggah added that the government is not taking teachers seriously because of the fragmented associations in the country.

He advised the Ghana National Association of Graduate Teachers, Ghana National Association of Teachers and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers to merge so they can have a strong voice.