Some Information Communication Technology (ICT) teachers in the Volta Region have expressed worry over the delay of rLG laptops due them since 2013.
According to the teachers, over 3000 of them were trained in ICT in December 2013 to enhance their teaching of ICT in their various schools.
The training, which was funded by the government, was conducted by Roland Agambire’s rLG Communications Limited. As part of the training package, the teachers were supposed to receive an rLG laptop each and a training allowance of GH¢120.
However, over a year now, about 1000 teachers are yet to receive their laptops and over 60% are also yet to receive their allowances.
As a result of this frustrating situation, several of the teachers abandoned their teaching posts to besiege the premises of the Volta Regional Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES).
They had thronged the premises to mount pressure on the directorate to collect their laptops. According to the teachers, they had information that the laptops were stashed at the directorate.
Despite their persistence, they were unable to receive their laptops and allowances and returned to their various stations in disappointment. They said they were told by officers of the Ghana Education Service to go and wait for text messages as to when to come for their computers.
A notice pasted at the premises after the numbers begun rising read: ‘Distribution of Computer Laptops is suspended henceforth. Further distribution will be based strictly on invitation. Teachers not invited should not report for collection…’
Prior to their departure, several of them were seen either sitting or loitering on pavements close to the Ghana Education Service regional offices.
The Regional ICT Coordinator of the Directorate, Bright Dey, told DAILY GUIDE that the teachers were truly right to demand for the laptops because they were entitled to them.
However, according to him, the distribution of the laptops is dependent on the stock available or as provided by the national office of the service. He also admitted that the regional office had received a consignment of laptops of about 200 pieces.
The directorate, he said, is yet to sort them out and distribute them accordingly. He said since 2013 about 200 teachers have been served, remaining a little over 1000. The criteria for distribution is first come, first serve—that is, from the first person trained to the last.
Mr Dey expressed worry that the teachers abandoned their classrooms when they had not been invited to come for their laptops. He also admitted to the allowances due the teachers, but explained that the GES had nothing to do with the allowances.
He said ‘rLG is solely responsible for the allowance and so the teachers should contact them (rLG) for their allowance.’
The teachers said a text message sent by rLG to participants in June 2014 apologised for the delay in payment of the allowances and asked them to check their bank accounts for the payment. That promise, they said, was yet to be fulfilled.
From Fred Duodu, Ho ( [email protected] )
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