Recently, a statement attributed to Hon. Gifty Twum-Ampofo, the Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), has sparked controversy. During her speech at the 175th Anniversary of the Presbyterian College of Education, she reportedly placed blame on teachers for Ghana's economic woes.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) feels compelled to respond to Hon. Twum-Ampofo's statement and express their concerns. While acknowledging her position and influence within the education sector, GNAT finds her remarks unfortunate, vicious, irresponsible, and unnecessary. Teachers, who play a vital role in shaping the future, should not be targeted for the country's economic challenges.
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It is crucial to clarify certain misconceptions presented by Hon. Twum-Ampofo. Firstly, teachers do not hold positions in the cabinet where the country's economic policies are discussed. The Finance Ministry, responsible for economic matters, is not headed by an educator or teacher. Educationists and teachers have not been invited to contribute their expertise on economic prospects or challenges. Therefore, blaming teachers for economic woes is unjustified and misplaced.
Read the full statement below;
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BLAME TEACHERS FORGHANA'S ECONOMIC WOES, NOT FINANCE MINISTER - DEPUTY EDUCATION MINISTER
The attention of the Ghana National Association of Teachers, GNAT, has been drawn to the above headline of a statement purportedly made by Hon. Gifty Twum-Ampofo, the Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and member of Parliament for Abuakwa North, and widely reported on electronic and social media.
Hon. Twum-Ampofo is said to have made this categorical statement on July 1, the Republic Day, 2023 when speaking at the 175th Anniversary of the Presbyterian College of Education, Akropong Akwapim on the theme: 175 years of Education: Honouring our past, Celebrating the present and Shaping the future.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers hereby reacts to Hon. Twum-Ampofo as follows:
1. We deem this statement as not only unfortunate, but vicious, irresponsible, and uncalled for, coming from a partner and practitioner of education who is expected to know better, and help find solution to the myriad of problems and challenges facing teachers and the education enterprise as a whole.
2. We find such diatribes and outbursts from people who have climbed higher and found the temperature cooler and clement not remaining there but finding cause to hold people for their failures and shortcomings as demonstrated by the Hon. Deputy Minister of Education in an assemblage of eminent educationists not only caustic but wonder whether she understood and recognized who were to be honoured - past and present educationists.
3. Let us make it clear to Hon. Twum-Ampofo and her ilk, that the Ghana National Association of Teachers would not sit unconcerned for its teachers to be taken to the cleaners by people in positions of responsibility; our teachers cannot be made scapegoats or guinea pigs by governments for policies they hardly reflect on before implementing, and the earlier vituperations such as made by Hon. Twum-Ampofo, stopped the better it would be for all of us.
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4. Once again, we wish to reiterate, that no educationist nor teachers sit in cabinet where Ghana's economy is discussed; the Finance Ministry is not headed by a Teacher and we are not aware that an educationist or a teacher for that matter, has ever been invited to make a presentation or deliver a paper on the Country's economic prospects or woes.
5. Following from all these, we wish to reemphasis that we are fed up with these scape-goating and blame games on our teachers. Madam Twum- Ampofo must not make us believe that, it is only a bad workman who quarrels with her/his tools, and in some instances, her/his outcomes.
Enough is enough, Madam Twum-Ampofo and we hope, you would have the required ears to hear us. Meanwhile we remain your very reliable stakeholder and partner, in the education enterprise.
THOMAS T. MUSAH GENERAL SECRETARY
Signed
DATED: 3RD JULY, 2023
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