Thomas Tanko Musah, the General Secretary of the National Association of Teachers (GNAT), has expressed concerns about the President Akufo-Addo’s unfulfilled promise to provide 10,000 houses for teachers several years ago.
On Friday, September 6, Musa discussed the difficult working conditions teachers in Ghana face and emphasized the urgent need to improve those conditions and provide suitable housing during an interview on Citi FM’s morning show. His comments came at a particularly appropriate time because October 5th is World Teachers Day.
Musa questioned how President Akufo-Addo’s commitment was going, saying, “If you are a teacher today, it is nearly impossible to retire with a two-bedroom house. The president promised us 10,000 houses two years ago. Where are they?” He emphasized how frustrated teachers are becoming over broken promises.
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Musa highlighted the effects of poor working conditions by revealing that teachers are forced to look for opportunities abroad. To support efficient teaching and learning, he demanded the provision of necessary tools and teaching aids.
“The exodus of teachers cannot be stopped at this point. GNAT has been advocating for necessary equipment and tools. Capitation grants are delayed, and schools are reopening without the funds reaching them. How can we teach chemistry, physics, or computing without proper equipment?“ he emphasized.
In January 2022, President Nana Akufo-Addo declared that the Ministry of Works and Housing was in talks with teacher unions to provide educators with affordable housing. He predicted that 10,000 teacher housing units would be built across the country in the next two years. However, there have been concerns raised about the initiative’s progress, leading to GNAT’s investigation.
GNAT is steadfast in its commitment to fighting for better working conditions and sufficient funding to improve Ghana’s educational system as long as teachers are forced to deal with difficult situations and broken promises.
