NAGRAT Calls Off Strike, But�

In spite of the nationwide strike embarked upon by the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) yesterday, there were normal school activities in some public second cycle schools in the Accra metropolis. The schools the Times visited included Accra Academy, Kaneshie Senior High Technical, Wesley Grammer, Labone Senior High Accra Girls Senior High and St Mary�s Senior High. Though classes were over in some of the schools the Times team visited at about 2.30pm, some of heads of the schools conformed that the teachers were all at post. However, at Accra Academy Senior High School a notice had been posted by the local NAGRAT representative, informing its members of the strike action, the notice was ignored by its members. At Wesley Grammar SHS, the Headmaster, Very Rev. Isaac J. Aidoo, told the Times that even though he could not differentiate between GNAT and NAGRAT members, all the teachers were at post to teach. He said he had not received any report of absenteeism on the part of his staff. Some of the students the Times spoke to at the schools visited, said even though they had heard of the strike, classes went on as normal. At the Mfantsipim SHS in Cape Coast it was also confirmed that normal classes were ongoing with all teachers at post. Meanwhile, the leadership of GNAT says it is not involved in any strike action. The Deputy General Secretary of GNAT, John Nyoagbe, has therefore asked its members to continue teaching. From Takoradi Clement Adzei Boye, writes that the strike action declared by the leadership of NAGRAT yesterday did not hold within the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis. Although, NAGRAT declared that, the strike action should begin yesterday a visit to most of the schools indicated that classes were going on smoothly. Some of the schools will be going on mid-terms this week, thereby raising questions about the effectiveness of the NAGRAT strike action. Students at the St. Johns Senior High School began their midterms yesterday. �We are on midterms. In any case, we have not heard anything about the strike action�, a source at the school told the Times. When the Headmaster of the Ghana Secondary Technical School (GSTS), Mr Thomas K. Mensah, was contacted, he said that, classes were on-going with the teachers at work. �We came this morning and began our normal school life�, he said. Asked whether the school had received any correspondence in connection with the strike action, Mr Mensah said that, he just received some letters from the Regional Chairman of NAGRAT, Mr S.F. Dadzie, on an update of NAGRAT strike. �Administratively, this should be done properly, we cannot depend on hearsays, there�s no official letter and we don�t know whether this should start today or tomorrow �the Headmaster of GSTS said. He argued that, the said letter talked about grievances and not the intended strike. �In any case, we will be on mid-term on Tuesday or Wednesday. The Headmistress of the Bompeh Senior High School, Mrs Aba Smith, also expressed similar views and said �we came here this morning and had our morning devotion and classes are going on�. �We have no letter to that effect and so there�s no problem. Even, we will be on mid-terms by Friday�, she told the Times. From Ho, Winston Tamakloe, reports that Teachers in three public Senior High Schools in the Ho Municipality did not embark on the action initiated by NAGRAT. The schools are Mawuli, Mawuko and OLA Girls Senior High Schools. A press conference organized by the Volta Regional branch of NAGRAT on the strike action was only attended by the leadership of the association in the region. When some teachers were contacted on the issue, they said even though they are members of NAGRAT, they had not officially been informed to embark on a strike action yesterday. A visit to the three schools to ascertain the situation indicated that teachers were in their classrooms busily teaching. According to Mrs. Philomena Afeti, headmistress of OLA Girls�, she was not aware of any press conference by the leadership of NAGRAT in the region and that no teacher or teachers had informed her of any strike action. Mrs. Janet Kwasi, headmistress of Mawuko Girls, said she was not aware of any strike action by the association even though she is a member, she should have been informed as head of the institution. When contacted, the President of NAGRAT, Christian Addai-Poku, however, told the Times: �we still stand by the decision to lay down our tools and until the allowances are paid, we are on strike.� Last year, NAGRAT threatened to embark on a nationwide strike on November 30, as a result of what it claimed was the lowering of its members condition of service. The threat was however, put on hold following a memorandum of understanding reached between NAGRAT, GES and MoE at a meeting held on November 25, but GES reneged on its part of the MoU. NAGRAT, however, warned that should GES fail to abide by the MoU, the association would have no choice but to strike without notice. Consequently, NAGRAT declared a nationwide strike action to back its demands.