GES, teacher unions meeting on semester system ends inconclusively

A meeting between the Ghana Education Service (GES) and leadership of some teacher unions over the implementation of the semester-based academic calendar for public pre-tertiary schools has ended inconclusively.

The meeting followed an accusation by the teacher unions, namely, GNAT, NAGRAT, CCT, and TEWU that the Ghana Education Service failed to engage broadly before coming out with the calendar.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Education Service, Cassandra Twum Ampofo, who spoke to Citi News on the latest said “we met the teacher unions, we presented our argument before them, just like they did. They insisted that we go back to the trimester system. We were not able to reach a resolution.”

She indicated that GES will reach out to the teacher unions for another meeting in the coming weeks “so we can finally settle the issue.”

Meanwhile, the leaders of the teacher unions say they will not relent in their efforts to push for their demands.

The unions, GNAT, NAGRAT, and CCT, have called for the withdrawal of the timetable, which introduces a semester-based curriculum for pupils in kindergarten and primary levels.

The decision to switch to a semester system for the academic year has been met with opposition from teacher unions and some civil society groups for various reasons.

The unions fear, among other things, that, such a move will lead to a long school calendar and will have a negative impact on the health and concentration of pupils and education workers.

---citinewsroom