The Education Minister is ready to meet agitating newly-trained teachers boot-for-boot on their quest to resist orders that they should partake in National Service.

The Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh says it is a fight he will love.

“Everybody who has gone through the tertiary system does national service so you are going to do it…it is a fight I would love,” he said.

“…and if you do not do it, you do not get employed…so you are going to do it,” Dr. Opoku Prempeh added.

The trainee-teachers have, however, cried foul over the government’s indecision and dilly-dallying with them.

According to them, it is uncomprehensive why the government will ask them to do national service while they have already undergone a one-year teaching service without pay.

They expected as by convention, to be posted to begin working life but then the government came up with a policy for licensing of new teachers.

The trainees told Joy News Wednesday, during a mammoth demonstration in Accra that, the government promised to post them once they have undergone the licensure exams.

That, however, hasn’t happened. The Ministry wants them to undertake national service but they have vowed to resist oppressors rule.

Over a hundred of them demonstrated against the Education Ministry’s directive on Wednesday over what they claim is an imposition of policies on them.

Chanting “post us now, post us now, post us now,” the teachers say they are not prepared to do the National Service, all they want is to start actual work.

“This government is frustrating our procedures. The normal thing we know is that when we are done [with teaching ppractise] we get posted by GES automatically. In February we were directed by GES to register online with them such that our details will be with them and after completion we were made to write licensure examination…

“We were waiting for results and then all of a sudden last month they brought another directive that we should register as national service personnel. They are imposing their policies on us and it is unfair for government to do that to us,” one of the angry teachers said.

The government is, however, adamant. The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia was expected to receive their petition but he was nowhere to be found.

Deputy Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Adutwum received the petition and promised it will reach the intended recipient.

Dr Opoku Prempeh maintains that the teachers must undergo national service.