GNAT-LAS Calls for Six-Month Maternity Leave for Female Teachers
The Ghana National Association of Teachers Ladies Society (GNAT-LAS) in the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese (AAK) District has called on the government to extend the current 12-week paid maternity leave for nursing mothers in the public sector to a minimum of six months.
The appeal was made at the 7th Quadrennial GNAT-LAS District Roundtable, held on Tuesday, May 12, 2025, at Abura Dunkwa. Speaking at the event, outgoing GNAT-LAS District Coordinator and Headteacher of Brafoyaw AME Zion ‘B’ Basic School, Ms. Catherine Asaam, highlighted the need for longer maternity leave to better support the health and wellbeing of both mother and child, as well as enable female teachers to return to work more prepared and less burdened.
“Our request is rooted in both maternal and child health concerns, and the practical challenges female teachers face after childbirth,” she stated. “Extending the leave to at least six months will greatly benefit both mother and child, and support teachers in resuming their duties more effectively.”
Ms. Asaam further pointed out that the proposal aligns with global health recommendations, particularly the World Health Organization’s advice for six months of exclusive breastfeeding.
Held under the theme “The Ghana Education Service @50: Achievements, Challenges and the Way Forward in Motivating the Female Teacher for Quality Education Delivery,” the event attracted key stakeholders in education and local governance, including District Chief Executive Mr. Daniel Mensah Wardy, Regional GNAT Chairman Engineer Dr. Wilberforce Eshun, and Regional GNAT-LAS Coordinator.
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Mr. Wardy acknowledged the significance of the appeal, noting that the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) had already committed in its 2024 manifesto to extending maternity leave to four months. He assured attendees that he would bring the GNAT-LAS’ enhanced proposal to the attention of party leadership for further consideration.
Guest speaker Mrs. Henrietta Ghartey Paintsil, Central Regional Manageress of the AME Zion Educational Unit, praised the pivotal role female teachers play in national development. “Empowering the female teacher is key to empowering students and building the nation,” she emphasized, applauding the contribution of women educators in making basic education universally accessible in Ghana.
In addition to the policy discussions, the roundtable event featured a variety of activities, including an exhibition by all six GNAT-LAS locals in the district, a Miss GNAT-LAS beauty contest, and the election of new district executives to steer the association’s affairs over the next four years.
The call by GNAT-LAS adds to growing advocacy across the country for a more family-friendly public sector environment, particularly for working mothers who juggle the dual responsibilities of teaching and caregiving. The association hopes that their voices, echoing the lived experiences of thousands of female teachers, will spark action and policy reform at the national level.
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