The 10 “Demons” Bedeviling the GES and Their Impact on Teacher Morale

The morale of the Ghanaian teacher is arguably at an all-time low. One must ask: who will lift them up? The actions required to make these educators feel valued and respected by the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Ministry of Education, and the government are still missing in a significant measure.

Every teacher working under the GES is frustrated by one issue or another. For those facing multiple challenges, only the divine gentleman sitting up there knows the depths of their struggle. Some walk long distances in the hinterlands, others cross rivers, and many teach under trees—where even a cloudy sky is enough to force a school to close for the day. To make matters worse, demotivating statements from leadership, which ignore the emotional needs of already disappointed teachers, add insult to injury.

The 10 “Demons” of GES and Their Impact

The posture of the Ministry of Education and the GES when reacting to the genuine concerns of teachers causes dedicated educators to lose steam. They soon join the ranks of those who have given up on the Service’s ability to solve the myriad challenges bedeviling the pre-tertiary education sector.

Efficiency and effectiveness are scarce commodities in decision-making. Issues relating to staff morale and motivation are given little attention. Solutions take so long to arrive that they lose their relevance by the time they are finally implemented. The GES cannot claim ignorance of these challenges; it appears, rather, that it is simply unwilling to confront them.

#1. The Demon of Non-payment of Allowances

A major demoralizing factor in the public pre-tertiary sector is the non-payment of allowances for extra duties performed. Professionals with the same qualifications in other public institutions enjoy these benefits, yet teachers do not. Paying teachers a premium for accepting postings to rural areas would be a simple, effective motivator. It is no wonder that teachers are increasingly unwilling to accept postings to villages with poor or non-existent infrastructure.

#2. The Demon of Lack of Appreciation

In public schools, there is little to no appreciation of a teacher’s effort by leadership. Many teachers are doing exceptional work, but who recognizes their contributions? Often, leadership is so dedicated to finding faults that they miss glorious opportunities to celebrate successes. A teacher who speaks out against unproductive policies often becomes a target for misconduct charges, while the same leadership fails to acknowledge that teacher’s many positive contributions.

#3. The Demon of Stalled Teacher Upgrades

Failure to promote and upgrade teachers after they acquire higher education is another issue needing urgent attention. Teachers are human; they know that not all their problems can be solved at once. However, proactive, forward-looking actions and clear timelines for solving these issues can change the mindset of the teacher fraternity toward the GES.

#4. The Demon of Disciplinary Committee Summons

Teacher morale is depleted when they are victimized in ways that make them feel unwanted, often worsened by threats of transfer. When this becomes public knowledge, the teacher may be summoned before a disciplinary committee. Many vocal teachers who have sought to ensure the GES is “fixed” have fallen victim to these invisible forces.

#5. The Demon of Curriculum Implementation without Resources

The lack of working tools and resources to implement the curriculum is another demotivating factor. Ghana’s teachers deserve applause for the hard work they do that never gets recognized. Teaching for years without adequate textbooks and resources after a new curriculum is introduced is a testament to the resilience—not the support—of teachers in Ghana.

#6. The Demon of Leadership Deficiency

The pre-tertiary education sector is suffering from a leadership deficiency. Holding a leadership position is not “leadership”; using that position to serve and solve the problems of those you serve is. The “non-listening” leadership approach is becoming all too visible. Teachers make excellent suggestions, yet those suggestions go nowhere. Problems are compounded daily while solutions remain elusive.

#7. The Demon of Poor Social Media Communication

The GES needs to take responses and comments left on its social media platforms seriously. Reading these comments reveals the level of disappointment ordinary teachers feel. Sometimes, these teachers provide laudable suggestions, yet no one gives them a second look.

#8. The Demon of Poorly Implemented Policies

The challenges regarding the implementation of the new curriculum are well-documented within the teaching fraternity. Before the GES can solve one problem, two more seem to be self-created, making it difficult to deal with the issues draining its time, effort, and resources.

#9. The “Solution” Demon: Lack of Transformation

The education sector needs a transformation in leadership, ideas, and approaches to problem-solving. It is time for the GES to be super proactive in dealing with the concerns of teachers if it wants to be viewed as a result-oriented and people-centered sector.

#10. The “Solution” Demon: Lack of Inclusiveness

The GES needs to introduce greater accountability and innovation. Consider district-level teacher awards that showcase the great works of teachers in every district, leading up to regional and national awards. This would ensure the inclusiveness of all teachers and reward them from the bottom up. Can you imagine the morale-boosting power of this approach?

The Way Forward

Teachers have complained about the same issues for far too long; leadership may feel that educators are just “complaining.” But teachers don’t just want to complain—they want solutions.

The perception that teachers are only complaining must be shelved. It is time for the GES to replace forced compliance with better options. If the GES can deal with these “10 Demons,” teachers will be excited. However, the Ministry of Education must not forget the important role that better remuneration plays. Provide all the needed intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for the Ghanaian teacher.

#FIXGES #FIXOUREDUCATION #FIXGESNOW

The time to deal with the morale crisis is now!