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In a heartbreaking development, a female teacher from the 2022 cohort of Colleges of Education graduates was captured on video breaking down in tears as she decried the extreme hardship she and her colleagues are facing due to ten months of unpaid salaries.
The incident occurred during a protest on Monday, 23rd June, when over 700 newly trained teachers began picketing at the headquarters of the Ghana Education Service (GES) in Accra.
The teachers are demanding the immediate release of staff identification numbers and the payment of salary arrears owed to them since their postings in 2023.
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According to the aggrieved teachers, multiple letters have been sent to the GES, urging the institution to address their concerns. However, they claim that all attempts to seek redress have been ignored.
In a video that has gone viral on social media, one female protester is seen visibly emotional, crying as she details the toll the unpaid salaries have taken on her and her family.
No one can support us anymore because they’ve already done enough. I can’t even pay my rent. Some of our family members are sick, but we can’t afford to care for them. Is it a punishment to be a teacher?
The teachers are demanding that the GES settle all arrears immediately and have warned that failure to do so will result in further action.
Tensions rose during the demonstration when police officers arrived to disperse the crowd, issuing a three-minute ultimatum. However, the teachers rejected the directive to leave, leading to their forcible removal from the premises.
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Undeterred, the group has vowed to continue its protest by petitioning the Ministry of Finance and marching to Parliament, in an effort to gain national attention.
Many have also vowed to spend the night at the GES premises until their demands are met.