Three teacher unions, Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) on 7th December, 2021 made a press release to clear the air on matters pertaining to the One Teacher, One Laptop (1T1L) initiative.
The “three teacher unions” have been under immense pressure from teachers in relation to the procurement of TM1 Laptops for their members and deducting Ghc509.00 from their CPD Allowance without members consent.
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Hon. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the former Education Minister, had stated previously that the “three teacher unions” were the initiators of the 1T1L Project so as to provide teachers in Ghana with laptops and hence, the Ministry of Education just acted on the words of the teacher unions.
Agreement between Teacher Unions and government on 1T1L
In the presser, the teacher unions stated that they agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between them and the government as a sign of commitment that Government will fulfil its promise to teachers to provide them with the necessary tools to enhance teaching in the classroom.
“Initially, the Teacher Unions advocated for the full cost of the laptops to be borne by the Government of Ghana. However, upon several days of negotiations and deliberations, Government agreed to bare 70% of the Cost and the Members 30%.
This was for the supply of Two Hundred and Eighty Thousand (280,000) laptops as well as provision of technical support, maintenance, training and equiping pre-tertiary teachers to provide virtual teaching and learning for their students. The Unit Cost of the Laptop was Gh₵1550 with the 30% component of the teacher to be paid from the annual Continuous Professional Development Allowance.
Ladies and Gentlemen, this was our level of involvement in the One Teacher, One Laptop project. The rest of the processes of procurement, award of contract, financing and distribution were done by the Ministry of Education and the GES.” The presser mentioned.
Change of Price
The presser also reiterated that the change of price of the laptop was due to the pre-finance agreement between GES and GESOPS which propelled the cost per teacher to an initial GH¢549.44 as a results of the 18.16% interests rate on the GH¢465.00.
“The price further reduced to GH¢509.00 due to the intervention of the Unions and Minister of Education, who indicated the 18.16% cannot be charged on the entire 30% (GHc 465.00) portion of the Teacher.” the press release stated
Teacher Unions Appeal to Government
At the latter end, the “three teacher unions” appealled to Government through the Ministry of Education to absorb the interest charges on the 30% that had accrued from the GESOPS pre-financing.
They also demanded that the GES should ensure that by close of day Friday, 31st December 2021, all teachers whose monies have been deducted for the laptops would be supplied to the said laptops.