‘Teachers to blame for bad economy’: ‘If GNAT is so peeved over that one phrase, I’m sorry’ – Gifty Twum-Ampofo

Deputy Education Minister Gifty Twum-Ampofo has apologised to teachers for her recent comment that they must be blamed for the country’s bad economy instead of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

Speaking at the 175th-anniversary of the Presbyterian College of Education, Akropong, on the theme: ‘175 years of education, honouring our past, celebrating the present and shaping the future,’ Twum-Ampofo said: “For any country to perform wonderfully well, there is a lot we all need to do in the area of education”.

Research, she noted, “has proved that any country’s gross tertiary enrolment ratio has a lot to do with the GDP of the country”.

“So, for our instructors, for our lecturers here, we see that once you have that responsibility and you get so much committed [to it], then you are sure that the gross tertiary enrolment ratio will definitely increase, and once that increases, the GDP of the country will increase”, she argued.

“And, for this simple reason – Hon. Osafo Maafo, an engineer, banker and economist – if the economy is not doing well, it is not the economy, it is the teacher”, she asserted, insisting: “Let me say that again: If the economy is not doing well, it is not the finance minister, it is not the economy but it is the teacher because the performance of the economy depends on the country’s gross tertiary enrolment ratio”.

Twum-Ampofo added that countries with a gross tertiary enrolment at 40 per cent and above have a “fantastic” GDP, “but those of us who have it lower, the economy is struggling”.

“So, now, the solution is the foundation that we have provided but, as a teacher and, as all of us are teachers, we say that we have done well but there is still more room for improvement”, she noted.

However, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) issued a statement condemning the deputy minister’s comment, which the group described as “vicious” and “irresponsible”.

Following that press release, Twum-Ampofo spoke to Accra-based TV3 to clarify her comment.

She noted: “If for that one phrase, GNAT has got so peeved”, and as a Christian who had no intention of hurting anyone, then she is sorry for the comment.

“…If people are hurt, I’m sorry”, she apologised.

-ClassFMonline.com