10% bungalow rent deduction not GES decision; Check Which Outfit is behind it
The Management of the Ghana Education Service (GES) says the controversial 10% to be deducted from the salary of public Senior High School teachers occupying school bungalows as rent is a decision by the Ministry of Finance (MoF).
In a statement, the Management said the 10% rent deduction was proposed by the Auditor-General after was it summoned over issues of rent paid by some staff of the Ghana Education Service (GES).
According to the Service, the directive for the said percentage to be subtracted from the government teachers occupying school cottages is on the recommendation of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament.
In line with the Committee, GES said it has directed cost centre managers to be guided by the Finance Ministry’s circular and charge the appropriate 10% on the basic salary of teachers occupying bungalows as accommodation.
“Management wishes to reiterate that it is not GES which is imposing the rent or determining how much is to be paid but guided by the Finance Ministry circular on issues of rent on staff occupying government bungalows,” it noted.
The Ghana Education Service (GES) press release dated March 16, 2022, continued that “this is to avoid future audit queries and subsequent appearance before the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament on the subject.”
GES further said it has taken note of the concerns raised by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) on behalf of teacher unions on this issue and will be meeting the leadership of the Unions to discuss their concerns.
The Education Service’s forthcoming meeting with pre-tertiary Education unions comes after GNAT said the deduction is a calculated attempt by the Ghana Education Service to renege the stipulations in the Collective Agreement.
“Any attempt to implement this would be resisted fiercely and the industrial peace on the educational front could be jeopardised,” the National Association of Teachers (GNAT) said in a lengthy statement released on Tuesday.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers consequently has advised the Management of the Ghana Education Service to withdraw the action to ensure serene teaching and learning in all government schools across the country.
