The Director General of GTEC’s visit to Mampong Technical College of Education
The Director General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, paid a working visit to Mampong Technical College of Education on Thursday, 8th August 2024. The purpose of the visit was to engage with representatives from the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) and the Colleges of Education Non-Teaching Staff of Ghana (CENTSAG) to address the fallouts and discrepancies arising from the migration of colleges of education staff onto the public university salary structure in Ghana.
As part of the government’s policy to upgrade colleges of education to tertiary status, a significant process was undertaken to migrate the salaries of all staff—both teaching and non-teaching—onto the unified university salary structure. While this move was a positive step towards aligning the compensation of college staff with that of their university counterparts, it led to a number of unanticipated issues and discrepancies. These included concerns regarding salary placements, allowances, and other benefits, which needed urgent attention to ensure a smooth transition and maintain industrial harmony.
The objectives of Prof. Jinapor Abdulai’s visit were to:
- Meet directly with leadership and members of CETAG and CENTSAG to understand their concerns firsthand.
- Provide a clear and official update on the progress of resolving the outstanding salary and benefit issues.
- Reassure staff that their concerns were being addressed at the highest levels.
- Affirm GTEC’s commitment to ensuring that no staff member would be worse off as a result of the migration process.
During his engagements, Prof. Jinapor Abdulai held frank and productive discussions with the representatives of the staff unions. He acknowledged the legitimate concerns raised and expressed GTEC’s commitment to resolving them comprehensively. The key highlights of his message and the discussions were as follows:
Prof. Jinapor Abdulai acknowledged that while the migration was necessary and beneficial in the long run, it had created some anomalies. He assured the unions that these were not intentional and that GTEC, in collaboration with relevant government agencies, was actively working to rectify them.
He gave a firm assurance that GTEC is spearheading efforts to resolve all outstanding issues, including rectifying any salary shortfalls and ensuring that all deserving allowances and benefits are correctly applied. He outlined the steps being taken to fast-track these processes.
He also stated that no staff would be worse off. This was a central theme of his message. He unequivocally stated that the government’s policy is to improve the conditions of service for college staff, not to diminish them. Therefore, GTEC is committed to ensuring that the new salary structure offers either an improvement or, at the very least, a retention of the previous salary and benefits, without any negative impact.
While assuring a swift resolution, he appealed to the staff unions for patience and continued cooperation. He emphasized that resolving such complex issues requires careful and meticulous work to avoid further errors.
The visit of Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai to the colleges of education was a crucial step in building trust and addressing the anxieties of staff regarding their migration to the university salary structure. His direct engagement with CETAG and CENTSAG leadership, coupled with his clear assurances, has provided a sense of hope and confidence among the staff. The commitment that “no staff will be worse off” serves as a benchmark for the successful resolution of these issues. GTEC is expected to continue its efforts to ensure a fair and equitable outcome for all staff members of the colleges of education.
