NAGRAT Indicates New Direction For Public School Education

National Association of Graduate Teachers

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has indicated its commitment to progressively advocate a framework for a new direction for public school education in the country.

That, it said, would start this year, with a renewed partnership between the education authorities and teachers aimed at enhancing quality education to serve the interest of the public.

According to the association, it had a responsibility to contribute positively to educational policy formulation and its successful implementation.

“There have been many occasions when teachers have been left in the dark at the formulation stages of educational policies but are charged to make the best out of them after they have been formulated. In 2014 and beyond, NAGRAT will aggressively help plan for changes in education delivery,” the President of NAGRAT, Mr Christian Addai-Poku, said last Tuesday at the swearing in of national officers and the inauguration of the Board of Trustees of the NAGRAT Fund in Accra.

The officers, who would steer the affairs of the association for the next four years, are: Messrs Addai-Poku, President; Eric Angel Carbonu, Vice President; Stanislaus P. Nabome, General Secretary; Christian Okla Odue; Deputy General Secretary; Seth Oduro Boadu, Financial Secretary; Ms Callistus Harung Sung-Yero, Publicity and Organising Secretary, and Ms Mary Dakora, National Treasurer.

Mr Addai-Poku said the partnership between the education authorities and teachers would thrive on timely consultations, proper flow of information, mutual trust and willingness to settle issues expeditiously.

Another priority for the NAGRAT in the next four years, he said, would be to secure the retirement of its members, adding that “we will work to ensure that the new pension scheme for workers, especially the second tier, is operationalised and properly set up to benefit workers.”

The NAGRAT president said in the next four years, NAGRAT would construct a modern national secretariat, adding that all the drawings were almost completed, while construction was expected to begin soon.

The Chief Director of the Ministry of Education, Mr Ernest Cobbinah, congratulated the new officers and charged them to use a calm approach in seeking solutions to their grievances.

The acting Director General of the Ghana Education Service, Mr Charles Aheto-Tsegah, said the service looked forward to a problem-free education sector this year.