FRATERNAL MESSAGE FROM THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATE TEACHERS – NAGRAT, AT THE 1ST QUADRENNIAL NATIONAL DELEGATES CONGRESS OF THE COALITION OF CONCERN TEACHERS –CCT-GHANA, ON 3RD MARCH, 2017, AT THE PENTECOST CONVENTION CENTRE- MILLIENNIUM CITY, KASOA
Mr. Chairman,
Distinguished Delegates Assembled,
Invited Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Permit me to associate myself with all the protocols observed early on at this Congress. I bring you warm fraternal greetings and best wishes from the National Council and indeed the entire membership of the National Association of Graduate Teachers-NAGRAT on the occasion of the celebration of the 1st Quadrennial National Delegates Congress of your Coalition. We salute your leadership for the courage to organize this history making event.
We are indeed grateful that you recognize and expressed interest in us as manifest in your invitation that avail us the opportunity to be part of this great event. We wish to assure you of our commitment to building bonds of solidarity between our Association and yours.
The theme of your Congress: “Quality Education: the Role of the Government and the Teacher Union” is of great interest to us and we whole heartedly associate ourselves with it. The theme is most appropriate at a time when the whole world is calling for Quality Education. The achievement of Quality Education is a shared responsibility of all stakeholders in education, but more importantly, government and the Teacher Unions. Quality Education has become so much invoked that, any discourse on education that excludes quality will find no audience. Admittedly, all stakeholders have roles to play but that of government needs to be singled out for special attention. The provision of educational infrastructure, teaching and learning materials, conducive environment, compensation of staff, training and retraining facilities, are just a little splinter of the daunting role of government and the state in quality education delivery. It is pertinent to note that the role of government, important as it is, will not yield quality education if the complementary role of the Teacher Union is absent from the equation. The Teacher Union worth its salt has the responsibility of encouraging and assisting its members at self-upgrading, dedication to duty, contribution to policy formulation and explanation of emerging trends and issues in the educational landscape, to mention a few.
The role of the Teacher Union, simple as it appears, is a challenging one for the achievement of Quality Education. In our times, when salaries of some categories of teachers are in arrears, promotions are delayed and denied, teachers are under constant verbal and physical assault and the morale of most teachers at its lowest ebb, the role of the Teacher Union in Quality Education becomes unenviable.
This Congress will not be worthy of memory if it enumerates a litany of difficulties without suggesting a suitable way forward. It is in this light that we in NAGRAT wish to urge Congress to discuss the issues militating against Quality Education dispassionately, sparing none worthy of blame and taking pragmatic decisions to achieve desired objectives. We wish Congress fruitful deliberations, successful elections and greater commitment to the mandate of Teacher Unions in the Education Industry.
Long Live NAGRAT!
Long Live CCT!!
Long Live NAGRAT-CCT Solidarity!!!
Long Live Ghana!!!!
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