Pre-Tertiary Teacher Unions’ Negotiations Conclude Over Their Conditions of Service Petition

Pre-Tertiary Teacher Unions have come to a conclusion on their Conditions of Service petition with the government. The agreement was made in 2024 between the Government Team, represented by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance (MoF), the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations (MELR), and the Ghana Education Service (GES), and The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) in collaboration with the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana (CCT-GH). The following were the outcomes of the agreed negotiation on the Pre-Tertiary Teacher Unions’ Conditions of Service Petition.

Let’s quickly run you through the terms in the agreement made;

TERMS OF AGREEMENT

The following items have been agreed upon as specified below:

A. CATEGORY 2, 3, AND 4 ALLOWANCES

1. Permanent Posting Allowance
   • Eligibility: A teacher who is moved permanently from one geographical area, location, or station to another at the instance of Management.
   • Rate/Agreement: Three months’ basic salary.
2. Additional Duty Allowance
   • Eligibility: A teacher who is asked in writing to take on additional responsibility for a position other than their own for more than twenty-one (21) days.
   • Rate/Agreement: 10% of monthly basic salary.
3. Allowances for Directors and Above
   • Eligibility: Directors and above.
   • Rate/Agreement: Approved Category 4 rate to apply.

1. Medical Care
   • Eligibility: All teachers.
   • Rate/Agreement: Approved Category 2 and 3 rate to apply.
2. Traveling Expense Allowance
   • Eligibility: A teacher who is posted to a new station.
   • Rate/Agreement: Approved Category 2 and 3 rate to apply.
3. Acting Allowance
   • Eligibility: A teacher performing in a temporary position which is higher than their current position and is expected to last more than six (6) months.
   • Rate/Agreement: Approved Category 2 and 3 rate to apply.
4. Night/Out-of-Station Allowance
   • Eligibility: A teacher who travels on official duties and is required to spend the night away from their duty station in Ghana.
   • Rate/Agreement: Approved Category 2 and 3 rate to apply.
5. Vehicle Maintenance Allowance
   • Eligibility: A teacher whose work requires the use of their own vehicle/motorcycle/bicycle for day-to-day official duties.
   • Rate/Agreement: Approved Category 2 and 3 rate to apply.
6. Kilometric Allowance
   • Eligibility: A teacher whose work requires the use of a vehicle but is requested to use their own vehicle for official trips.
   • Rate/Agreement: Approved Category 2 and 3 rate to apply.
7. Protective Clothing
   • Eligibility: Technical/Vocational, Science, ICT, and Home Economics teachers.
   • Rate/Agreement: To be provided by Ghana Education Service (GES).
8. Funeral Grant
   • Eligibility: All teachers.
   • Rate/Agreement: Approved Category 2 and 3 rate to apply.
9. Physically Challenged Guide Allowance
   • Eligibility: A physically challenged teacher who needs a guide.
   • Rate/Agreement: Approved Category 2 and 3 rate to apply.
10. Physically Challenged Transport Allowance
    • Eligibility: A physically challenged teacher who is certified as needing special means of transport to enable them to commute to and from work.
    • Rate/Agreement: Approved Category 2 and 3 rate to apply.

B. INSTITUTION SPECIFIC ALLOWANCES

14. Retention Premium
    • Eligibility: All teachers.
    • Rate/Agreement: 15% of monthly basic salary.
15. Continuous Professional Development Allowance (CPDA)
    • Eligibility: Professional and non-professional teachers.
    • Rate/Agreement:
      • GHS 2400 for professional teachers.
      • GHS 1800 for non-professional teachers.
      • GHS 200 shall be deducted annually for Continuous Professional Development.
      • GHS 100 shall be deducted at source for license renewal.
      • This allowance shall be paid in two installments in September 2024 and November 2025.
16. Deprived/Difficult Area Incentive
    • Eligibility: Teachers in eligible areas.
    • Rate/Agreement: The Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service shall review the Deprived Area Report for implementation. The Teacher Unions shall then negotiate the figures with FWSC.
17. Complimentary Digital Instruction Support Allowance
    • Eligibility: All teachers.
    • Rate/Agreement: GHS 800 per annum to be paid in November each year.
18. Advance for Teachers in GES
    • Eligibility: All teachers.
    • Rate/Agreement: An advance not exceeding 150% of an employee’s annual gross salary (to be repaid in not more than eighty-four (84) equal installments) may be granted to a confirmed teacher.

Other Provisions

The agreed statement also stated the following;

B. The effective date of this agreement shall be 1st July 2024 and shall expire on 30th June 2026.

C. FWSC and GES shall work together to correct any salary placement disparities or wrongful placements.

D. GES and the Pre-Tertiary Teacher Unions shall expeditiously work together to resolve all outstanding issues concerning the promotion of Deputy Directors (DD) to Director I and subsequently to Director II by September 2024

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