Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES)
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has suspended the compulsory GES-SIC Life Insurance Policy programme for public school teachers across the country.
This is the second time the GES has suspended the policy which was introduced in 2018 to help improve the welfare of teachers in the country.
Under the terms of the policy, all employees of the GES in active service are eligible to be members and an amount of GH¢10 would be deducted monthly through the Controller and Accountant General’s Department.
Three teacher unions however kicked against the policy saying that the blanket deductions had affected the salaries of all GES workers.
At a press conference in Accra on Thursday, the Director-General of the GES, Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa said the suspension is only temporary and that it would be resumed in September.
He said all teachers who want to opt out of the policy have up to the end of August to pick, fill and submit an exit form.
“As of 6th August, we have written formally to the Controller and Account-General to suspend the programme for August. We are suspending it for August. Subsequently, we will resume in September.
“All those who are not interested, we want them to come up and pick a form. After this month, any staff who does not come out to get his or name removed from the list, is deemed to be a member. However, at any point in time, if you want to exit, you can exit,” he said.
Prof. Opoku-Amankwa also disclosed that 34 out of the 252 staff have had their ¢10 per month contributions which was deducted as part of the policy, refunded to them.
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