A group calling itself Coalition of Unposted Trained and Registered Teachers (CUTART) has again petitioned the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service over delayed postings.

In a three page open petition to the Ministry copied to the sector minister Yaw Osei Adutwum and Director General of GES, the group said, they are the beneficiaries of the untrained Teachers Diploma in Basic Education-UTDBE program which was under the supervision of the National Teaching Council and the University of Cape Coast. However, they are yet to be posted many years after successfully completing the program.

In 2005, the Ghana Education Service implemented a four-year distance education programme known as the Untrained Teachers Diploma in Basic Education (UTDBE) to train pupil teachers across the country in batches as a measure to face out untrained teachers and replace with Professional teachers to help improve quality education at Basic school level.

This was because, at the mid-point of the millennium agenda (2000-2015), 40 per cent of Primary school teachers and 24 per cent of Junior High School teachers were untrained in Ghana.

The program continued from 2012 to 2016 which government-sponsored the course in partnership with JICA for the backlog of pupil Teachers to upgrade themselves in diploma in Basic education to serve in the rural area of the country.

But after years of completion of the program, only 110 beneficiaries were posted in 2018 leaving 800 unposted.

According to the President of the Coalition Afelete Avulah, “the said teachers so issued with Professional Teachers Registered numbers since 2016 only got 110 of their entire membership recruited in 2018 but over 800 members still home. The UTDBE programme which was partly a Government-sponsored course with the support of Jica had two categories of trained teachers. Those who were pupil Teachers before admission into the course and the other, those who were voluntary Teachers as well as Youth Employed”

President of the Coalition Mr Afelete Avulah, the group acknowledged the efforts of the Director-General and his Deputy Anthony Boateng for posting part of their members in 2018 but appealed for the posting of the rest of the group members.

“it has really been difficult for members to survive. Passed their licensure exams with National Teaching Council, Teachers Registered numbers and completed National Service. Among other details mentioned in the petition to the Minister and GES, it is the cry of these Teachers to be posted. We are willing to serve in any part of the country where their services are needed most,” The President said.

Source: Ghana/starrfm.com.gh/Kojo Ansah