The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) is adamant to appeals for it to call off its strike. Leaders of the Association say they will only reconsider their decision on Friday, March 11, 2011 after fruitful negotiations have been completed. The teaching association laid down its tools on Tuesday after widespread distortions in the implementation of the new pay policy- the single spine salary structure. Government officials have described the strike as a show of bad faith and have appealed to the teachers to return to the classroom. It was hoped that the successful meeting held Wednesday afternoon between the stakeholders will soften the stance of NAGRAT, but that was not to be. NAGRAT is unyielding, despite an agreement by the government to institute a teacher retention premium in addition to existing allowances to teachers. The premium is to incentivize teachers to remain in the profession and check the attrition rate of teachers in the country. General Secretary of NAGRAT, Stanislove Nabomi told Joy News they are grateful to government for the introduction of the new premium but need to know its quantum and its effects on the living standards of teachers. He said NAGRAT is willing to call off its strike after successful completion of negotiation on Friday. “A lot more need to be told before we can say the lot of teachers has improved,” he said. He dismissed criticisms that the timing of the strike was bad, insisting it is rather in the interest of government, the teachers and students for them to have embarked on strike now than in the coming weeks when the students would have been engrossed in their BECE and WASSCE. He said it would even be more disruptive if they had announced the strike in the coming weeks; at least now stakeholders will have enough time to resolve their grievances before the exams starts, he opined. But the Ghana National Association of Teachers believes Wednesday’s meeting was timely. General Secretary of GNAT, John Nuagbe told Joy News discussions during the meeting was frank and signaled some progress. He was hopeful by Friday anomalies within the salaries would have been corrected. He urged colleague teachers to return to the classroom. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana