Confusion Over ‘Skirt ‘n’ Blouse’ Prices For Teachers Laptops

There is confusion over the actual prices that teachers are to pay for the supposed free laptops that the government is providing for teachers as a result of conflicting figures from the Ministry of Education and the leadership of teacher unions.

While the Deputy sector Minister, Rev. Ntim Fordjour has said the laptop is to be distributed at Ghc1, 550 per computer, the leadership of the teacher Unions, especially the National Association of Graduate Teachers has been quoting Ghc1,831.44 per computer.

Now teachers are confused and do not know which figure to trust, particularly because they are expected to bear 30% of the cost. 

A reactionary posture from the President of NAGRAT, Angel Carbonu has not been helpful to the mystery surrounding what is now being called ‘skirt and blouse’ prices for the laptops.

Mr. Carbonu was at his rudest in a recent interview on Accra-based Adom FM, where he refused to give the price that he and his association had quoted to teachers.

Mr. Carbonu arrogantly said teachers are to pay 30% of the price of the laptop and that the 30% amounts to Ghc549. After that he refused to give the whole price they have quoted to the teachers, telling the journalists to use their heads and do the math.

Carbonu and his Association have since come under strong suspicion that they padded up the Ghc1, 550 that the Education Ministry is supplying the laptop at so that they can cream off cash for themselves – the kind of shrewd practice that is known in local parlance as “chobo.”

Meanwhile, the brand of laptop is known as Teacher Mate 1 (TM1). It is locally made by a local company called K.A Technologies.

Meanwhile, members of the Innovative Teachers Association have petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate what they suspect to be an inflation of the cost of the TM1 laptops.

According to them, the 4gb RAM 13 laptops are so cheap looking and low in specs that they should not cost more than Ghc600.