JUST IN: OUTCOME OF THE 3 TEACHER UNIONS BRIEFING ON THE TM1 LAPTOP. WHY PENSION FUND WAS TAKEN

The Three Teacher Unions who are in hot waters due to the 1 Teacher 1 Laptop initiatives; GNAT, NAGRAT AND CCT. Today 7th December, 2021 had  a press conference addressing the social media chew up on the matter.

Present were the President and Vice president of NAGRAT,  President and Secretary of GNAT, President of CCT and many others.

RELEASE

According to the GNAT president, During their National Council’s Annual General Meeting on 30th September, 2020 and 3rd October 2020 held at Kumasi was when teachers brought the proposal for a laptop to enhance their teaching and learning.

This proposal was also brought by the other teacher unions NAGRAT and CCT and  Together  the 3 teacher unions engaged the GES and the Ministry of Education on the matter where K.A Technology was recommended for the contract.

Initially the  teacher unions advocated Government was to bear the full cost of the Laptop.

Upon regular consultation with the Government only 70% was to be absorbed by government whiles Teachers borne the 30%.

This was for the supply of  280, 000 Laptops  as well as provision of technical support, maintenance , training and equipping pre- Tertiary teachers to provide virtual teaching and learning for students.

Procurement, award of contract, financing and distribution were done by the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service only.

PRE-FINANCING

On 11th February,2020, a Laptop Computer Pre -Financing Agreement was entered into, between the Ghana Education Service (Acting on Behave of the Ministry of Education) and GES Occupational Pension Scheme (GESOPS)

THE CHANGE OF PRICE 

Laptop pre-financing services agreement brought that 549.44 as a result of 18.16% interest rate on the GHc 465.00

The price then got reduced to GHc 509 due to the intervention of the teacher unions and the Minister of Education who indicated that the 18.16% cannot be charged on the entire 30%(Ghc 465) portion of the Teacher.

In the light of the above and recognition of pressures from the Teachers,

Leadership is asking the Government through the MOE to absorb  the interest accrued on the 30%

and demand by the close of Friday 31st December, 2021 all Teachers deducted monies for the Laptops would be supplied and served the Laptops

ABOUT THE INJUNCTION ON THE DISTRIBUTION

According to the 3 teacher Unions they are not served and does not even recognize the said teacher unions and the details of what is sent to the court is unknown hence can not comment on it.

WHY TAKE THE TEACHERS PENSION FUND

Every Pension fund is an investment fund hence to take the money from elsewhere  and send the interest there its rather beneficial to take it from the GESOP and return the interest because that is our own.

AGITATION BY TEACHERS 

There is no agitation by teachers, most Teachers are rather waiting for their laptops.

Before 2019 no teacher has heard about Professional Development Allowance. It was negotiated by the unions and are for the Professional development of the teacher and not for any other thing

WHY WOULD TEACHERS WITH LAPTOPS STILL BE DEDUCTED FOR A LAPTOP

Find out how many teachers have laptop.

But For this Laptop the supplier has developed something called ”katop” no laptop can be used to access the katop except the TM1 Laptop. Teachers would be given special codes which will help them to access these katop and download all the educational files including syllabus and textbooks they need for their subject.

source; seekersnewsgh.com