The Coalition for Concern Private School Teachers Ghana (COPSTEG) is calling on the government to consider providing them with some incentives packages to offset their burdens of not been paid by their employers.

According to them, there was no engagement with the members prior to the closure of all schools as part of response to curtail the spread of Covid- 19 pandemic on March 16 by President Nana Akufo-Addo.

To their disappointment, the Ministry of Education did not make any effort to evaluate how the decision would impact teachers and others working in the private schools in order to cater for some of their needs.

Although the coalition agreed to the government’s decision on the closure of all schools to protect citizens, however, said the members want it to extend its hand of support to them in order to survive through the lockdown.

The Coalition in a statement issued and signed by Acting National President I. B Chambas on April 7 noted that the government failed to find out how teachers in the private schools of the education sector might survive or live through the hardship of the lockdown.

It said private schools in the country solely depend on fees paid by parents for their wards to remunerate their staff including the teachers, so the closure and lockdown had affected their means of income.

As players of Ghana’s education, it said “As we speak, government has paid all public-school teachers leaving the private school teachers. Since our major source of income is the small salaries and this salary also come the fees our employers take from the parents. As a result, most of the schools are unable to pay their staff, which has put out member into starvation.”

Their position was that they also contribute in diverse ways to support Ghana’s education system, and as tax payers, they want the Education Ministry to consider coming to their aid in times such as this.

Since it is obvious that if parents cannot pay fees while their wards are at home with them, the ministry must consider to liaise with private school owners on how to release incentive for the members.

It was also their plea that some measures are in place to ensure that at least two-thirds of their salary passes through the Controller and Account General if the employers are unable to pay them in April and June.

Meanwhile they are also engaged or brought on board on the Covid- 19 sensitization programme/campaign.

By Bernice Bessey