GES bars teachers from visiting headquarters, protesting, engaging media during school hours

The Ghana Education Service has directed teachers, particularly newly recruited staff, not to leave their duty posts to visit the Service’s national headquarters in Accra or engage with the media during official school hours.

The directive is intended to ensure professionalism among teachers and keep them focused on their responsibilities in the classroom during working hours.

The instruction, signed by the Acting Deputy Director General for Quality and Access, Munawaru Issahaque, follows what the Service described as a growing trend of teachers travelling to Accra to present concerns directly to the national office or take part in unofficial protest activities.

Management of the Service stated that such actions undermine the professional standards governing teachers and bypass the established administrative channels for resolving grievances.

According to the directive, teachers who have concerns are required to first report them to their respective Heads of School. If the matter remains unresolved, it should then be referred to the District Directorate and subsequently the Regional Directorate.

The statement explained that the national headquarters of the Ghana Education Service primarily engages with Regional Directorates and recognised teacher unions rather than individual teachers or unapproved groups.

GES further warned that any teacher who disregards the directive will be regarded as absent from duty. Teachers who leave their posts to participate in demonstrations, picketing or media engagements during school hours will face disciplinary action in line with the teachers’ Code of Conduct.

Heads of School and District Directors have also been tasked with monitoring compliance and reporting any instances of absenteeism.

The Service added that teachers who appear in video or audio recordings engaging the media during school hours may also face sanctions. According to the directive, the policy is aimed at preventing disruptions to school activities and maintaining focus on the delivery of quality education.