Teacher Unions, enemy of teachers

Teachers, no more have confidence in the parent unions due to how they handle life-changing matters with the government.

The little investigations made on teacher unions bring out that if they (unions) do not take care in dealing with teachers on issues between them (teachers) and the government, very soon, they(unions) will reach their impasse, and it will be more fire.

Some said they are with the unions because they have to be there.

Others also said that they are with the unions because they could get loans for other things and even though they consider the unions' loans to be cheaper as compared to other banks, there is the need for it to be reduced to a very low rate since it is their own money they take the loans from.

Adding to the above, some also said though they have heard of unions helping members with intervention programs, it is a few of the members who get these interventions.

"Unless a teacher goes for a loan facility from their unions, there is nothing important these unions add to teachers life apart from negotiations and even with that one, they are not doing it well."

"They will come and give diaries and calendar as the end of the year something. Who said I don't know my date? They should better watch out because we can't take their cunning words anymore."

“They are only interested in making profits from our monies. If they can’t give Ghc 200,000 when I go on pension, they should give me a loan with say 4% or a maximum of 7% interest. I think it will help me do things which are better for myself and my family without thinking of pension.

After all, it is my own money we take the loan from, and we shall repay.”

“You can’t do anything beneficial to us unless we go on pension, or we take loans from you. Go and do better negotiations for us too has become a problem. As for me, I am there because I have to be there.”

After series of interviews, we sat down and made some simple calculations: if a teacher has the affordability of GHC700.00, that teacher could secure a loan of GHC25,000.00 with a 7% interest rate for 4 years, and pay GHC636.91 every month.

It means that after teaching for 12 years, that teacher could build a house or make a property wealth of GHC750,000.00. You could imagine if he/she teaches for 30 years. All these calculations exclude good working conditions and salary increments.

It also means that teachers can mathematically work their lives out should they receive a little push from the unions (GNAT, GNAGRAT, CCT, etc.).

Going forward, unions need to educate their members on how their money is being used and to reduce the interest rates on loans given to members as it has become a matter of interest.