We know nothing about concerns of Teachers Alliance over laptop deduction - NAGRAT

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), has distanced itself from the All Teachers Alliance, the group that is opposing the contract signed for One Teacher, One Laptop initiative.

NAGRAT says it has no link with the group and should not be associated with them.

President of NAGRAT Mr Angel Carbonu, addressing a press conference on Tuesday, December 7, 2021, said they do not know the group.

The All Teachers Alliance had alleged that teachers had their monies deducted without recourse to court proceedings for the One Teacher One Laptop initiative.

“Many teachers are not happy about this development and have raised genuine concerns about the manner in which GES has authorized the deduction of the laptops’ fee from their November professional development allowance.

“What’s more worrying is that the majority of teachers especially basic school teachers are yet to receive the laptops. The question now beckons how teachers could be deducted before providing them with laptops?” a statement they issued said.

But NAGRAT at the press conference stated that “The interesting thing is that we don’t really know them, we don’t know what is motivating those group of people and we don’t know the details of the suit that they have sent to court so it will be very difficult to comment on that.

“Whoever they are in tango with, I am very sure that they will be able to get explanations from whoever, or the court will decide as to the legitimacy of the case that they have sent to court.”

Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia in September launched the “One Teacher, One Laptop” initiative to facilitate lesson planning, teaching and learning outcomes.

At the event, the Vice President stated that Ghana would not be left behind in the fourth industrial revolution era and would leverage on ICT tools to accelerate socio-economic development.

Every teacher in the public school from the kindergarten to the senior high level would receive a computer laptop each.

The government would pay 70 percent of the cost of the laptop, while each teacher pays the remaining 30 percent.