The Ghana Education Service (GES) has halted the deduction of GH¢10, from the salaries of teachers as part of a GES-SIC group insurance policy imposed on teachers nationwide.
Following the fierce resistance from teachers, especially in the Ashanti Region against the policy, which makes it mandatory for the Controller and Accountant Generals Department (CAGD) to deduct GH¢10 from source, the Ghana Education Service was pressured to discontinue the implementation of the policy.
Head of Media Relation for the Ghana National Teachers Association (GNAT) in Ashanti Region, Prosper Takyi who confirmed this to ADR Daily today, said the April salaries of teachers did not record the controversial insurance deduction.
“By the close of last week when salaries were paid into the accounts of teachers, I can tell you that no deductions were made,” he stressed.
Mr. Takyi, however expressed concern over speculations of an attempt by the GES to re-introduce the policy in an different form, adding that teachers across the country will continue to resist such a move.
In June 2018, the GES and the State Insurance Company (SIC) introduced a group life insurance policy that covers teachers in public basic and senior high schools across the country. The implementation of the policy led to a mandatory deduction of GH¢10 from teachers’ salaries through the Controller and Accountant Generals Department (CAGD), a move vehemently opposed by the various teacher unions.
Although the GES in a letter dated February 27, 2019, and signed by Director General, Professor Kwasi Opoku Amankwa, urged teachers who are not interested in the deal to fill an exit form which was available at all GES offices country-wide, the teachers insisted that GES should rather withdraw the policy since the teachers have not signed onto it.
Benjamin Nana Appiah/adrdaily.com
