Demotion, transfer of head teacher - GES investigates

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has begun investigations into circumstances that led to the demotion and transfer of the Head teacher of Padmore Street Primary (1) School in Tema, Mrs Helena Abrokwah.

A Deputy Director and acting Head of the Public Relations Unit of the GES, Mr Paul Krampah, who disclosed this in an interview yesterday, said following the public outcry against the action, the Director-General of the GES, Mr Samuel Bannerman-Mensah, had set up a committee to look into the matter.

As a result of her alleged disclosure to the media that there was low enrolment at her school on "My First Day at Schoo!", Mrs Abrokwah, who has been a head teacher for 15 years, having worked with the GES for 35 years, was demoted and transferred from the Padmore Street Pri¬mary School to the Batsonaa Primary 'A'.

A letter to that effect, dated September 18, 2007, signed by the Tema Municipal Director of Education, Mrs Lucy Kwapong, and sighted by the Daily Graphic said the action was taken "in the interest of the GES".

However, following the action, teachers in Tema and the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) called for the immediate and unconditional reinstatement of Mrs Abrokwah.

They condemned Mrs Kwapong's action of demoting and transferring the head teacher, describing it as hasty, unwarranted, untenable and an attempt to intimidate and gag teachers from carrying out their legitimate duties and expressing their opinions as citizens of Ghana.

According to GNAT, the action of the Tema Municipal Director of Education to demote and transfer Mrs Abrokwah was not only hasty but also a gross violation of the conditions and scheme of service, as well as the code of professional conduct for teachers.

The Volta Regional Secretariat of GNAT also called on the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports to act swiftly on the headteacher's case or expect a show of total solidarity by teachers in the country.

The secretariat said it would be in the interest of the authorities to act immediately in order to avert any unpleasant occurrences in the educational sector.

Mr Krampah told the Daily Graphic that the committee set up by the GES would find out whether or not the action taken by the Tema Municipal Director of Education had been in the right direction.

"The GES Director-General will act on whatever recommendations the committee will come up with," he explained, adding that the committee comprised some members of GNAT and the GES.

Source: Daily Graphic