The National Council of Parent-Teacher Associations (NCPTAs) Ghana has declared its full solidarity with striking pre-tertiary teacher unions, describing their demands as legitimate and justified.
In a solidarity statement, the Council said the welfare of teachers is critical to the development of the country, stressing that “no nation can rise above the welfare and quality of its teachers.”
According to the NC-PTAS, years of unfulfilled promises and abandoned Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) have created what it described as a “deep credibility deficit” between teachers and government.
It said the situation had left teachers with no option but to embark on industrial action over concerns including delayed promotions, unpaid arrears, the implementation of revised collective agreements, and the 20% deprived area allowance.
The Council said Ghanaian teachers must be regarded as a national asset rather than a cost to the state.
“The Ghanaian teacher is a national asset we must protect, not a cost on the national purse.”
It argued that investment in teacher welfare should not be viewed merely as expenditure but as an investment in national security and the country’s future prosperity.
The NC-PTAS also highlighted the financial burden on parents following the closure of classrooms as a result of the strike.
It said parents had made significant sacrifices to prepare their children for school, including spending on uniforms, sandals, books, chop boxes, provisions, and transportation.
The Council said those investments were now sitting idle, while BECE and WASSCE candidates who had been prepared through extra classes were also being affected.
“Every day without a teacher is a loss to the poor parent who spent his last cedi to prepare his child for school.”
It described the situation as not only a teacher crisis but also “a parental crisis, a family crisis.”
The Council further stated:
“When the teacher’s bag is empty, the child’s head will be empty, and the parent’s purse is wasted.”
The NC-PTAS expressed concern about empty classrooms and school compounds being left without adequate supervision.
It cited the proverb, “When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers,” adding that in the current situation, “the grass is our child.”
For this reason, the Council has urged parents to keep their children at home until teachers return to school.
“An empty school without a teacher is a risk, not a school.”
Call for Mahama’s intervention
The Council has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to personally intervene in the dispute and direct the Ministers of Finance, Education and Labour, as well as the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) and Ghana Education Service (GES), to work towards an immediate resolution.
It also called on politicians, traditional rulers, religious leaders and other influential personalities to support efforts to resolve the impasse.
The Council urged government to “go the extra mile” to address the concerns of teachers and called for political differences to be set aside.
“When the roof is leaking, you don’t ask whether the water is NDC or NPP – you fix the roof.”
The NC-PTAS concluded by emphasising the central role teachers play in Ghana’s development.
“The hand that holds chalk, holds our future.”
It added, “Treat the teacher well, and the teacher will treat our child’s future well. No Teacher, No School. No School, No Future.”
