Covid-19 Reveals That Our Teachers Are Only After Their Salaries, Not To Raise Africa’s Tomorrow
After reading some comments made by teachers in Ghana sequel to an educationist, Professor Stephen Addai’s castigation of the teacher Union to forgo 50% of their salary if they want to perpetuate their stay at home owing to the Covid-19 outbreak; I’m getting clear answers to why the students in the government schools fall a distant behind, academically, to their counterparts in the private schools.
The teacher Union in a haste, unprovoked, issued a communiqué to the government, warning schools should not be resumed, easing restrictive measures, fearing the easy spread of the infectious lethal coronavirus disease.
Although the Ghana government had not announced anywhere of reopening schools soon.
Angered by their actions, the patriotic good old Prof. Addai backlashed the teachers for their seeming carelessness for the wellbeing of the students under their care, and called on them to accept a pay cut if they’re no more willing to make use of their acquired knowledge to benefitting the students.
As it’s in synonymous with the typical African who hates it to be told the godly truth, these teachers are taking the renowned respected educationist to the cleaners, calling him derogatory names.
As an individual who always call for a complete overhaul and revamping of the fallen standards of our education system, I jump to the Professor’s defence as follows:
Prior to the advent of the new media, the internet, didn’t we have the Information Service Department going to the villages to deliver information in audiovisual and in print?
Can’t you see the rich making good use of the internet for their wards to have tuition while still at home?
If you want to continue your stay at home, why don’t the teacher Union propose for use, the institutions like: Ghana Post, Ghana Library, Information Service,…….to reach students at the remotest part of Ghana?
Why would you only look at one side of the coin as the country seek means to adapt to the new normal occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic?
The actions displayed by the teachers of today clearly inform the Ghanaian that it’s because of your salary that you go to school. No wonder the private schools do better than that of the government. Your hearts are far from raising kids to be future leaders.
In other regimes, progressive societies, teachers are having sleepless nights having their brains rest without benefitting those for whom they studied. You’re here issuing communiqué upon communiqué.
*Forfeit your salary then?*
I doff my hat for Prof. Addai. We need his thousands in Ghana to build from the debris our fallen standards of education.
We’ve never heard it in Ghana that teachers are demonstrating, agitating, striking, …because of deplorable states of the schools they teach in. But our ears never rest with your wailing for pay increments. Where lies your patriotism then?
How many of our students in the basic schools, from primary 1-6, can read fluently?
Go to our neighbouring countries (Ivory Coast, Togo, and even Burkina ), and examine same class of people, compare to the ones you teach, and claim salary for.
We can’t continue in this if Ghana indeed seek to develop as those first-world-countries we envy.
Kwame Nkrumah saw the anomaly in Ghana’s education upon assuming power. But like we say in Goka: Fɔfie annto Atta na wadware abammu; Nkrumah’s steps to build the best of education system died with his ouster in the infamous February 1966 coup.
I’ve written a lot about how past and present governments are having least care for the foundation of our future leaders. I do compare the current state of the foundation of our education system, vis-a-vis Free Secondary Education, as: building blocks on a clay foundation. It won’t take long, our country will cave-in, if we continue with these dilapidated facilities, and selfish mindset of the tutor. Better schooling builds better States. If indeed Ghana seeks to march to the Paradise destination, then teachers in Ghana should apologise to the Professor and tap into his wisdom, joining the rebuilding process of our fallen walls.
The death of education is the demise of civilisation!
Written by: Charles Yeboah (Sir Lord )
The Founder Of One Ghana Movement (#1GhM)
Contact /WhatsApp: +233249542111
Email: sirlord42111@gmail.com
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