ASSESSING STAFF PROMOTION OF PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEES IN GHANA A CASE STUDY OF THE ACCRA METRO EDUCATION DIRECTORATE

ABSTRACT

As part of its conditions of services the Ghana Education Service (GES) offers career advancement opportunities to its staff to progress from one rank to another. The practice of promoting teachers has been bedeviled with some challenges which have caused a lot of discomfort in the teaching fraternity within the GES. Hence, this study assesses the Staff Promotion of Teachers in the Accra Metro Education Directorate, using the interpretative paradigm to analyse qualitative data, collected from fifty two (52) respondents, of which were thirty four (34) teachers using Focus Group Discussions (FGD), and twelve (12) GES Officials, two (2) GNAT Executives and four (4) former teachers using interviews. The theory which underpinned the study is Adams’ Equity Theory of Motivation. The theory suggests that employees seek to exert a balance between their inputs and outcomes, and if the two are perceived to be equal, the propensity for employee motivation and retention is high and vice versa. The Study found that, the promotion process in the GES is cumbersome due to undue bureaucracy and the teachers’ inability to understand the New Performance Management and Appraisal form, coupled with unethical conduct of promotion interview panelists. Generally, this situation has caused many teachers to stop applying for promotion and rather take advantage of further studies (study leave) to quit the GES. It was discovered that the bases of GES promotion to the senior ranks is bias towards age rather than merit because, majority of teachers within the senior ranks are in a certain age bracket, while the educational qualifications of teachers at the basic level are considered for promotion up to the rank of Principal Superintendent. Meanwhile the GES does not practically stick to the stipulated number of years for promotion. In the same vein, teachers’ salary arrears are not paid to them after promotion. Finally, it was established that promotion in the GES did not have any influence on motivation and performance.

Key Words: Staff Promotion, Motivation, Performance Management, Teachers’ Retention.