Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Prof Ernest Kofi Davis, says he would prefer the details of promoted teachers to be processed electronically, but the final decision rests with the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD).

Prof Davis said the GES only facilitates the process and does not have the authority to determine how the information is processed by the department responsible for payment.

“That is my wish, but the answer is the Controller’s. That is outside our remit. We don’t pay. We only facilitate the process. So the decision is the Controller’s. But that is my wish,” he said.

He was speaking as GES officials worked to process the details of promoted teachers for submission to the CAGD, amid efforts to resolve issues linked to the ongoing teachers’ strike.

Asked whether the process could be moved to an electronic system, Prof Davis said it was possible but stressed that the CAGD would have to make the final decision.

“It should be possible, but then as I said, the decision is the Controller’s. But I wish we could go to the system,” he said.

Prof Davis said the large volume of paperwork involved in the exercise highlighted the need to consider a more modern approach to handling teachers’ records.

“You can see the stash of papers around. You get bags in the 21st century. I don’t know whether that is the way we want to go, but the decision is the Controller’s,” he said.

The GES is also working to meet a 4 p.m. Monday deadline to complete and submit the details of thousands of promoted teachers to the CAGD.

The deadline was set by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu as part of efforts to address concerns over delayed promotion placements and arrears, which are among the issues behind the ongoing nationwide strike by pre-tertiary teacher unions.