Teacher group condemns deductions for One Teacher, One Laptop initiative

All Teachers Alliance Ghana and Innovative Teachers has said despite court action they instituted teachers’ money had been deducted without recourse to court proceedings for the One Teacher One Laptop initiave.

According to them, this has come as a shock to them since the original hearing of the interlocutory injunction filed on the 10th of November, 2021 on the stay of distribution and deduction had been rescheduled for hearing on the 14th December, 2021.

“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.

Below is their full statement…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

30/11/2021

TM1 LAPTOPS AND MATTERS ARISING

It has come to our attention that despite court action instituted by All Teachers Alliance Ghana and Innovative Teachers teachers’ money had been deducted without recourse to court proceedings. This has come as a shock to us since the original hearing of the interlocutory injunction filed on the 10th of November, 2021 on the stay of distribution and deduction of teachers’ PDA of the TM1 laptops had been rescheduled for hearing on the 14th December, 2021.

It is with this that we think we must question the attitude of GES towards their dealings with teachers in this country. Everything points to the fact enough stakeholders consultations were not done into procuring laptops for teachers. What’s more worrying is the fact that certain questions surrounding the sole sourcing procurement as well as the quality of the laptops are yet to be answered fully by GES and MOE.

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?

It is very imperative to let the public know that per the contract entered in by GES, Teacher Unions (GNAT, NAGRAT and CCT) and KA Technologies GH Ltd, many things had not been done right in the manner that’s satisfactory to the dignity and welfare of teachers in this country.

We in ATAG do not think membership of the three unions is a guarantee to doing the right thing or serving the best interest of teachers in this country. We believe that teachers’ true welfare had been relegated in the arrangements leading to the procurement and distribution of the TM1 laptops.

The provisions in Ghana’s Labour Act (69 (1)(2a/b)(3)(4)) are clear enough when it comes to the deduction of money from the salaries of employees. We, therefore, caution whoever is in hurry to force unpopular laptops brand unto teachers to tread cautiously because we will continue to resort to the laws of the land to demand what’s right in the best interest of teachers in this country.

…. Signed…..

King Ofori

0249403277

President

…. Signed…..

Albert Dadson Amoah

0241871847

General Secretary

---3news.com