The Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG), is calling on government to pay their book and research allowance for this academic year.
The teachers have in the past laid down their tools over the non-payment of the allowance.
POTAG went on a three-month-long strike over the allowance two years ago, following Government’s intended plan to scrap the allowance and replace it with a national research fund.
The Association subsequently withdrew their services after various efforts to have the decision reversed by government proved futile.
The issue was eventually resolved after a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between POTAG and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations.
This time around, POTAG hasn’t given any indication they may resort to a strike, except to say the delay is affecting academic work.
Speaking to Citi News, the President of POTAG, James Dugrah, bemoaned the late payment of the allowance over the years, a situation he argues affects teaching in the schools.
According to him, the teachers have put in their request for the allowance for the ongoing academic year but the money is yet to be released.
“The 2015/2016 book and research allowance is not yet in, we have put in the request anyway. The academic year started in September last year and we are in February so by now the processes should have begun.
It is not uncommon for the teachers to pre-finance their research work for teaching but Mr. Dugrah stated that in the last two years, Government has not played its part in ensuring that the teachers get their research allowance within a reasonable time frame.
“Usually, we have to get our own materials, do our research for the teaching then the money will be paid later, but the last two years they haven’t paid on time.”
