Students' expresses disappointment about NAGRAT strike

Kumasi, Oct 12, GNA - The Ashanti Regional Students' Representative Council (ARSRC) has expressed its disappointment and dismay at the inability of the government and stakeholders of education to resolve the five-week old industrial action by graduate teachers in the second cycle schools.

It said the strike action has resulted in total anarchy, confusion, chaos and disorder in the various schools within the region and beyond, adding that a visit to the schools indicated disillusioned, confused and disoriented students loitering about and the reason you are told is that "Our teachers are on strike".

These were contained in a statement read by Master Jonathan Acheampong, a student of Kumasi Academy and President of the Council at a press conference in Kumasi on Thursday.

The Council comprises student leaders of all the various second-cycle schools in the region.

"We are by this statement calling on parents and all well-meaning Ghanaians to help us in voicing out our predicament, for instance the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is just around the corner and once again final-year students have been left to their fate as it occurred to some students some years back".

The Council said, "We students are not interested in who is right or wrong in the issue, neither are we interested in legalities, our concern is all about getting our teachers back to the classroom to teach".

"Indeed the grass is suffering as two elephants continue to fight. Helpless students are compelled to pay huge and exorbitant tuition fees to receive extra classes in their bid to prepare adequately for examinations.

This extra burden on parents who have paid the full fees of their wards in school is unacceptable and this calls on the government and stakeholders of education to understand our plight".

The Council threatened that if by October 18, the government, Ministry of Education, Science and Sports, Ghana Education Service and leadership of NAGRAT had not resolved the action for academic work to resume, they would embark on series of actions to compel concerned bodies to end the strike action.

It urged students to remain calm and concentrate on their studies hoping that by these five days, there will be an end to the industrial strike action by the graduate teachers. 12 Oct. 06