Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) says the continuous hike in transport fares is obstructing academic work among students and teachers across the country.In an interview with the media, the chairperson of the Madina-Adenta-Abokobi (MAA) GNAT District, Christian Yaw Adinkra, disclosed that schools in the district have begun recording several cases of absenteeism among students and teachers.

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 According to Mr Adinkra, parents are unable to give their wards enough money for food and transportation due to the economic challenges.As such, students are forced to stay home or leave early from school in order to trek home. He mentioned that “from the way things are going, I foresee that in the coming days, the rate of truancy is going to go up on the part of students and teachers as well.

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For some time now you can see that some parents are struggling to give their wards transportation to school” he mentioned.On the part of teachers, Mr Adinkra mentioned that the economic tantrum has worsened the plight of these professional workers.

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He noted that the astronomical hikes in food commodities and transportation fares have rendered the 15% of the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) to cushion teachers amidst the hardship insignificant.He explained that, “as it stands now, the salary of the teacher cannot sustain him or her for more than a week.

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The average teacher takes about one thousand eight hundred (GHS 1,800) whereas prices of food and everything the teacher lives on have skyrocketed, including transport. It would be unfair to ask the teacher to come to school when he or she has no lorry fare.

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” Yaw Adinkra, thus, called on government to emulate the policy of tax exemption on teacher's salaries like other African countries such as Rwanda He believes that if the move is taken into consideration, it will alleviate the living conditions of teachers. He also proposed a shift system for teachers.

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Meanwhile, some teacher's associations have embarked on industrial action due to the appointment of the acting Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Dr. Eric Nkansah.The three unions, the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana (CCT), have been on strike since November 4, 2022.

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These associations are upset with the appointment of Dr. Nkansah  because he does not have a teaching background. Source: The Independent Ghana

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