Retired GES staff refuse to vacate duty post

A number of officers of the Ghana Education Service (GES) who have attained the compulsory retirement age are still at their respective duty posts, the Service has revealed. A statement issued by the GES dated June 5 and sighted by 3News, said it was concerned about “the rate at which officers who are supposed to go on compulsory retirement are still at post”. Per Article 199 (1) of Ghana’s constitution, “A public officer shall except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, retire from the public service on attaining the age of sixty years”. But the GES claims some of its officers who are regional directors, general managers of educational units and heads of second cycle schools in the country are still at post though they have attained the compulsory retirement age. It said the conditions of service for teachers also indicates in section 6 in the Code of Professional Conduct of Teachers that “an employee shall retire compulsorily from Ghana Education Service on reaching the prescribed age”. Consequently, it has reminded the affected staff that the “policy is still in force and should be adhered to”, adding “all officers who have retired and are still at post should in their own interest hand over and leave immediately”. The statement further said the GES would not entertain any application from anyone who has attained the compulsory retirement age seeking extension of service. “…Officers who have submitted their applications on the correction of date of birth but are due for retirement should leave their position while wailing for the outcome of the decision of the Committee working on it,” it added. The GES management has meanwhile cautioned heads of both basic and senior high schools to take note and comply with the directive. By editors.3news.com|Ghana