To be a teacher in Ghana comes with a lot of benefits although the majority complain about the monthly salaries paid to them monthly. The Ghana Education Service (GES) does not only pay salaries to teachers in the various ranks but also pays some deserving allowances to teachers. This post is to enlighten and encourage younger ones who have the interest to work with the GES as teachers in the near future not to give up their dreams because there are major benefits that many teachers won’t disclose to them.
This article will mainly throw more light on teachers’ salaries and allowances received by teachers in each of the GES ranks. Firstly, let’s take a look at the ranks and their salaries and look at the allowances in the latter part.
GES RANKS OF TEACHERS AND THEIR ATTACHED SALARIES
The following are the ranks in the Ghana Education Service (GES). A rank is a hierarchical arrangement of positions in the GES. It is vital to note that in the teaching fraternity, workers’ salaries are determined by ranks. There are ten ranks in the GES.
From the top (Highest) to downwards (Lowest) are the ranks. Note that the salaries mentioned in this article start at Grade Base. Grade Base means the initial salaries the below-mentioned ranks receive but as time goes on, every year their steps increase with corresponding money addition. The salary levels start at 25.1, 24.1., 20.1, 18.1. 16.1…etc. Kindly note that these analyses were made in line with the 2021 Single Spine Salary Structure released by the Ministry of Finance.
- Director General
- Deputy Director
- Assistant Director I
- Assistant Director II
- Principal Superintendent
- Senior Superintendent I
- Senior Superintendent II
- Superintendent II
- Superintendent I
- Teacher
DIRECTOR-GENERAL
The Director-General is the rank highest in the GES. The rank is based on political appointment by a sitting government upon recommendations by the GES Council. This means that whoever is appointed as a Director General serves for a maximum of four (4) years and then leaves office with the particular government that appointed him/her. The Director-General of GES performs special functions which lead to the implementation of better educational policies in the country.
Aside from the above, the DG of GES seeks the promotion, upgrading, and recruitment of graduates from both universities and colleges. The DG is also responsible for negotiating with the government for better conditions of service such as payment of salaries and allowances to teachers.
The DG of GES is paid good allowances such as clothing allowances, travel allowances, etc. The salary level of the DG is 25 with an annual salary of GHS75, 050.10. Dividing the annual salary by the 12 months will be equal to GHS6,254.175. Hence the monthly gross salary of the DG of GES is GHS6,254.175.
NOTE: Gross salary is the monthly amount salary paid by the Controller And Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) without any deduction. After deductions are made, the amount paid to you is known as the NET SALARY.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL
The Deputy Director-General is the next in command in the absence of the Director-General. In GES, there are two deputy directors. We have the deputy director in charge of quality and assurance and the deputy director in charge of management service. Their sole responsibility is to provide technical and administrative support to the Director-General which will intend to help the Ghana Education Service to achieve its targets. They, therefore, help to coordinate the activities of other divisions under the GES. The salary level of the Deputy Director-General of GES is 24 with an annual salary of GHS65,581.98. Dividing the figure by 12 months will be GHS 5,465.165. This means that the DD receives GHS 5,465.165 as a monthly salary.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR I
The responsibility of Assistant Director I is to track the progress of policies implemented by the Ministry of Education. One will have to serve under the Assistant Director II rank for 3 years before qualifying to be promoted to the above rank. Before one can be promoted after he/she has written and passed the annual promotion aptitude test conducted by the GES. The average salary level of this rank is 20 with an annual salary of GHS37,600.45. Dividing this by 12 months will give you GHS3,133.370 as monthly gross.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR II
The above rank serves as an assistant to Assistant Director I. They provide assistance to Assistant Director I as they help in discharging the duties and responsibilities. Before one qualifies for the above rank, he/she must serve a minimum of three (3) years as a Principal Superintendent in GES. The salary level of GES staff on this rank is 18 with an annual gross salary of GHS29,1999.72. This means that the monthly gross salary is GHS2,433.31.
PRINCIPAL SUPERINTENDENT
The Principal Superintendent (PS) rank is attained in GES when one serves for a minimum of 5-years or more under the Senior Superintendent I rank. However, persons who get recruited using their degree certificate are put on the above rank without having to pass through the senior superintendent rank. They are put in charge of managing schools in the circuits and they are also responsible for managing the classrooms. The salary level for the above rank is 16 with an annual gross of GHS23,852.14. Dividing this by 12 months will give you a monthly salary gross of GHS1,987.678.
SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT I
A teacher qualifies to be put on this rank when he/she has served under the senior superintendent II rank for four (4) years with encouraging work output. They are usually diploma holders from the college of education. Teachers under this rank are placed on the salary level of 15. The annual gross is GHS21,197.30 with a monthly gross of GHS1,766.441.
SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT II
Teachers who are diploma holders are rightly put on this rank after recruitment by the GES. They are mainly college graduates who graduate with diploma certificates. SALARY LEVEL: 14. ANNUAL GROSS: GHS18,837.96. MONTHLY GROSS: GHS1,569.83
TEACHERT
his rank covers unprofessional persons in the GES. Unprofessional here mean individuals who did not study or read education as a course but have found their way to work with the GES. These can be individuals who entered the teaching profession with a non-educational certificate. This can be WASSCE/SSSCE holders HND holders and the likes. The salary level is 12 with an annual gross salary of GHS14,877.87. MONTHLY GROSS SALARY IS GHS1,239.823
GES TEACHERS’ ALLOWANCES
GES employees (teachers) do not only take salaries but are also paid some allowances for their professional upkeep. The GES in collaboration with the teacher unions and the ministry of Education in 2020 paid teachers in Ghana some professional allowance. This was the first of its kind. An amount of GHS 1,200 is credited to every teacher’s account in November every year as teachers’ professional development allowances. Apart from this, other special allowances include vehicle maintenance and kilometric allowances night allowances, allowances for teachers in deprived areas, acting allowances, transfer grant, additional duty allowances, allowances for directors and other allowances are paid to some categories of teachers.
—Smartandstuck
