"Your silence is too loud" - GTF tells Prof. Opoku-Agyemang

A coalition of unemployed graduate teachers from various universities, Graduate Teachers Forum (GTF) have expressed worry about the loud silence of the running mate of the National Democratic Congress, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, on their predicament.

According to the group, they expected the former Education Minister and Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast to make her stance clear on the challenges unemployed graduate teachers are going through, following their recent calls on authorities over their life long neglect.

In a statement released by the group, they’re calling on Prof. Opoku-Agyemang to state clearly her vision for graduate teachers, as she seeks to occupy the second highest office of the land.

“The Graduate Teachers Forum (GTF) is by this means offering you the opportunity to state without ambiguity and political chicanery, humbly state your visions and plans for the many graduate teachers from the various universities who have and are still suffering because of the disregard for graduate teachers’ recruitment“, the statement indicated.

Below is the full release

Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, Your Silence is too loud.

The applauds and frabjous that comes with appointing a leader with no sight defect to lead people who are visually challenged is usually thunderous and effervescent, primarily because such leader among other things would be able to make good benefitting judgement when pathing; all things been equal.

The Graduate Teachers Forum (GTF) is a network of group of graduate teachers who have graduated from the various public universities, constitutionally mandated to train teachers who have been maliciously and deliberately denied employment by all governments, both past and present who have seen it timely to demand what is due them. Hereby calls on you our good old professor, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, with enviable acumen in management and education, and mother who has served on many boards until recently the past Vice Chancellor of University of Cape Coast and the immediate past minister of education.

Your candidature is meritorious but lacks lucidity on matters that borders on human lives, national security and seen as a dint on the very institution you once head and was seen as a connoisseur. On Thursday 4th September, 2020, Joy FM carried a news item entitled “Education is one of the topmost priority of next NDC government” this news item is attributed to you as having said during one of your campaign/outdooring speeches. Such a message from an astute personality like Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyeman is no mean a message especially considering your shrewd contribution in the area under discussion.

Nonetheless, considering your past records of total neglect for graduate teachers from the various universities which University of Cape Coast is no exception, is something even the genius mind of Albert Einstein cannot fathom. Throughout your occupancy in the office of education ministry, you have joined the bandwagon of coddling graduates from the various colleges of education.

Respectfully, many atrocities were meted out to graduate teachers which has kept us suffering till now. Many of our members are currently teaching in the private schools and since the Covid-19 outbreak, these teachers have been left to their fate. Every now and then, there is recruitment but intentionally, graduate teachers are prevented from applying. Every recruitment is geared towards colleges of education, meanwhile, these are graduates who received stipends or allowance with assured job. This undue advantage needs your comment whether or not you will repeat same. Our release is not to throw shade or lose sight of the fact of your stupendous records as a former sector minister to point to you some lapses that needs timely response.

Your candidature as an aspiring occupant of the second highest office of the land, our message to release tends to find answers to how you will blend your managerial dexterities and anecdata available to you to right your wrong and offer equal playing field for all trained teachers in the country.

The Graduate Teachers Forum (GTF) is by this means offering you the opportunity to state without ambiguity and political chicanery, humbly state your visions and plans for the many graduate teachers from the various universities who have and are still suffering because of the disregard for graduate teachers’ recruitment.

With our teeming and continually bloating, you can have our assurance. Your words “Making history is gratifying; but what really matters is not to be first through the door. What matters is to hold the door open for those behind us and create other avenues for self-actualisation for many more” is full of hope and assurance. Prof please, are you going to hold the door for us to enter the arena of realising our dreams or it’s you making history for yourself?
We trust your motherliness and avuncular attributes to bring an end to the deliberate and continues maltreatment meted out to graduate students from graduates teachers from the various universities.

Thank you.

Mr. Michael Elikem Doe
National President
0200896260

Mr. Owusu Christian
Vice President
0240263017

Mr. Kumah Solomon
National Organiser
0547740220