Teachers deserve better treatment in Ghana — Rev. Daniel Ahenkorah

Reverend Daniel Ahinkorah, popularly known as "Fireman", has called on the government and Ghanaians to fundamentally rethink how teachers are treated, arguing that the profession remains critical to the country’s development and deserves greater recognition and improved conditions of service.

According to the pastor and philanthropist, the ongoing disagreements between the government and teacher unions over salaries, allowances, arrears, promotional packages and other conditions of service are symptomatic of a deeper problem: the failure to adequately recognise the importance of teachers to national development.

Speaking on the Bubune Morning Show, Rev. Ahinkorah said every professional who occupies an important position in Ghana, including politicians, doctors, lawyers and other experts, had benefited from the work of teachers.

He therefore questioned why teachers continue to struggle to secure improved conditions of service while other categories of public officials appear to receive greater attention.

“Without teachers, this technology and all the opportunities we have today would not be here. It is through the teacher’s effort and knowledge that people have reached these heights,” he said.

Rev. Ahenkorah, who has a personal connection to the teaching profession through his father and other members of his family, said teachers had historically not received the level of respect they deserved in Ghanaian society.

He argued that this attitude must change if the country wants to attract and retain competent people in the teaching profession.

According to him, the situation has become particularly difficult for teachers, with some graduates spending years at home after completing their training before securing appointments.

He also raised concerns about delays in receiving salaries after appointment, arguing that such challenges can discourage young people from pursuing teaching as a career.

“We need to begin to recalibrate our mindset about the teacher because without them, there is no development,” Rev. Ahinkorah said.

Government must make teachers a priority

Rev. Ahenkorah urged the government to treat teachers as a national development priority rather than waiting for industrial action before addressing their concerns.

He said any government, regardless of political affiliation, should have a deliberate policy aimed at improving teachers’ welfare and working conditions.

“It is a national issue, a national policy. Any government that comes into office should treat teachers as a priority issue. It should not take teachers shouting before action is taken,” he said.

He further called for a review of the salary structure applicable to teachers, arguing that their remuneration should reflect the importance and demands of their profession.

According to him, teachers posted to remote and deprived communities face additional challenges and should therefore receive meaningful incentives to encourage them to remain in such areas.

He stressed that incentives for teachers in deprived communities should go beyond promises or provisions that exist only on paper.

Education must be at the centre of development

The pastor also linked the welfare of teachers directly to Ghana’s broader development prospects.

He argued that an under-motivated teaching workforce could affect the quality of education and ultimately the quality of professionals entering the workforce.

“Education is the key to any economy; the bedrock of development is education,” he said, stressing that investment in education must include significant investment in teachers.

Rev. Ahenkorah cited former British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s emphasis on “education, education, education” as an example of the importance some countries have attached to education as a driver of national development.

He warned that Ghana’s development efforts would remain largely rhetorical if the country failed to adequately resource the education sector and improve the conditions under which teachers work.

Three recommendations for government
Rev. Ahinkorah said if he were given the opportunity to meet President John Dramani Mahama on the issue, he would present three key recommendations.

First, he said teachers should be given recognition comparable to other professionals whose contribution to society is considered essential.

Second, he called for significant improvements in teachers’ conditions of service and welfare.

Third, he proposed stronger incentives for teachers, particularly those serving in remote and deprived communities.

He also suggested that teachers should have access to opportunities that would enable them to improve their standard of living, including access to vehicles.

Teachers should stand firm, but protect education

On the ongoing industrial action by teachers, Rev. Ahinkorah expressed support for teachers standing firm in their negotiations, while acknowledging the impact of prolonged strike action on students.

He urged teachers not to abandon their demands prematurely if their concerns had not been adequately addressed.

“Teachers have suffered for long,” he said, adding that returning to the classroom without resolving the underlying concerns could result in the same problems resurfacing.

However, he cautioned teachers that once they return to school, they must remain committed to their responsibility of teaching and supporting students.

He said the welfare concerns of teachers should not become an excuse for neglecting learners.

Calls for public support
Rev. Ahenkorah also appealed to Ghanaians to support teachers and recognise the role they play in society.

He recalled a period when teachers in rural communities were highly respected, and members of the community would support them with farm produce and other assistance.

He said that spirit of appreciation should be revived, particularly at a time when teachers face increasing economic and professional pressures.

“If God has blessed some of us to become leaders in certain fields, teachers are people we must look out for and support,” he said.

Rev. Ahenkora ultimately called for a broader national conversation on the teaching profession, saying Ghana's development ambitions would remain difficult to achieve unless teachers were given the recognition, resources and working conditions required to perform their duties effectively.

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