TEWU Calls for Urgent Recruitment of Non Teaching Staff, Respect for Conditions of Service

By – Gladys Apuweni

The Teachers’ and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Ghana, has called on the government and education authorities to urgently address staff shortages and respect the conditions of service of non teaching staff to improve the delivery of quality education

The call was made at the Conference of Directors of Education in the Upper East Region, held in Bolgatanga on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. The union raised concerns about inadequate staffing, poor welfare packages, unpaid overtime and unfavourable working conditions affecting non teaching personnel

The General Secretary of TEWU, King James Azotiba, appealed to the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to lift the embargo on recruitment, grant financial clearance and replace personnel who had retired, died or resigned within 30 days

He cited the situation in a senior high school with approximately 1,200 students, where only four cooks were responsible for preparing breakfast, lunch and supper. He warned that persistent staff shortages could undermine the effective implementation of education policies and compromise the quality of education

In an interview, the National President of TEWU of TUC, Madam Salamatu Mahama Braimah, emphasised the importance of recognising and respecting non teaching staff, describing their roles as complementary to those of teaching personnel

She explained that TEWU represents workers across the Ghana Education Service, universities, technical universities, colleges of education, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), language institutions, the Museums and Monuments Authority, and the Ghana Library Authority, among other educational institutions

According to her, the union advocates for workers’ welfare and negotiates their conditions of service with management, including the Ghana Education Service.
“Our directors are our bosses, and we are happy working under them. All we are asking is that our welfare should be their priority and that they respect our conditions of service,” she said

Madam Salamatu expressed concern that some provisions of the conditions of service, particularly those relating to workers’ leave entitlements, were allegedly not being respected

She stressed that the conditions of service constituted a formal agreement between the union and management and must therefore be adhered to strictly

She noted that cleaners, security personnel, cooks, administrators and other non teaching staff played essential roles in maintaining safe, functional and effective educational institutions

She added that without the support of these workers, teachers would struggle to perform their duties effectively, potentially affecting the quality of education in the country

The union also raised concerns about the welfare of security personnel, some of whom reportedly work extended hours without corresponding overtime compensation. It called on the relevant authorities to ensure that outstanding payments were settled

Both union leaders urged education directors and other stakeholders to prioritise the recruitment, welfare and motivation of non-teaching staff, stressing that effective education delivery required the collective efforts of teaching and non teaching personnel

They maintained that strengthening the non teaching workforce and respecting their conditions of service were essential steps towards translating education policies into improved educational outcomes across Ghana

Source – gbcuraonline.com