The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has issued a two-week ultimatum to the government, demanding urgent action over the alleged assault of teachers by military personnel in the Western Region.
The incident is reported to have involved officers of the 2nd Infantry Battalion stationed at Apremdo in Takoradi, which has triggered widespread anger among teachers, particularly in the Wassa West District, where some educators claim they were assaulted and humiliated.
GNAT General Secretary Thomas Tanko Musah described the incident as part of a growing pattern of attacks against teachers, warning that the situation was becoming unacceptable.
He said teachers were increasingly coming under attack from different sections of society, including students, parents, and now members of the security services.
“For us as GNAT, our motto always stands, ‘We live to teach.’ However, it looks like some stakeholders are becoming a stumbling block on our way,” he said.
“These students, some of them have been beating teachers. Some parents also go to schools and beat teachers. And now the military people too have joined the beating,” he said.
“And we are telling ourselves that if the state cannot protect us, then we are not safe.”
Mr Musah noted that GNAT has given the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service two weeks to address the concerns, including paying the medical bills of affected teachers, providing compensation, and ensuring that those responsible are punished.
According to Musah, affected teachers have already reported the incident to the police and are assisting with investigations.
He warned that failure to act within the deadline would trigger industrial action.
“If the powers that be fail to act, nobody should underestimate our actions,” he said.
“That means strikes, demonstrations, and every option under the Constitution is on the table. We will deploy them as and when necessary.”
