The Association believed that there was the need for government and stakeholders to provide decent working conditions, safe and healthy working environments, high quality training and continuous professional development for teachers to operate at their optimum.

Ms Philippa Larsen, Acting GNAT President said this in Accra at the launch of the World Teachers Day (WTD), which falls on October 5, on the general theme: “Teaching in Freedom, Empowering Teachers”.

In line with the celebration, GNAT has instituted an event christened: “GNAT Week” to educate members and the public about its programmes and celebrate the teaching profession.  As part of activities to celebrate the day, there will be a quiz competition, radio discussion, fun games throughout the Districts and Regions. A national durbar would be held at the Jackson Park in Koforidua, in the Eastern Region on October 5, to climax the activities.

Speaking on the Free Senior High School policy, the Acting GNAT President commended government for the initiative, saying that, the policy came as a relief to most parents whose incomes can hardly cater for the basic needs of their homes.

She urged government, in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service, to be circumspect in dealing with the challenges that would arise, to ensure that the policy goes hand-in-hand with the provision of quality education.

“The Association prefers a relationship that will be more consultative, collaborative and co-operative in addressing the challenges that may arise,” she added.  On corporate social responsibility initiatives, the Acting GNAT President said the Association had assisted 50 needy school children in the Eastern Region with school uniforms, school bags, Canvas, boots, textbooks and stationery to motivate them to go to school.

She said pupils and students from Ekye D/A Basic School in the Affram Plains North and Atakora D/A Basic School in the Affram Plains would this year benefit from the same items. She said the Pleyo M/A Primary in the Yilo Krobo Municipality had met the criteria for GNAT’s assistance this year in the form of a pavilion type of classroom, which demands packets of roofing sheets, a quantity of blocks and bags of cement to construct classes five and six rooms.

Mr David Acheampong, the General Secretary of GNAT said the recent action by the GES management to sidestep the laid down procedure in punishing heads of SHS, who may have disobeyed implementation regulation for the free SHS policy was undesirable.

He explained that the due process was not adhered to and called on the GES Council to intervene immediately to ensure that the right processes was followed to protect the sanctity of the school environment.

Mr Acheampong reminded government of its pledge to make the teacher the pivot of quality education delivery since it was the obligation of government to ensure that teachers were empowered, valued, honoured and respected in the performance of their duty.