General News of Wednesday, 28 August 2013

Source: radioxyzonline

Public universities wont be closed down - Prof. Aryeetey assures

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Ernest Aryeetey, has assured students of the various public universities that their institutions would not be shut down due to the strike by lecturers.

Public University students are stranded on their campuses as the deadline for the closure of their schools nears.

University lecturers have been on strike for several weeks in demand for the payment of their book and research allowances.

Although the various universities have reopened, no academic work has taken place yet.

Wednesday August 28 is exactly 21 days since these universities have been in session without any academic work.

Per the statutes of the various public universities, an academic year without academic work for 21 continuous days calls for the closure of the school and dissolution of the calendar.

President of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), Anthony Simons in an interview with XYZ News said his colleagues are still on strike and hope the situation is salvaged in the coming hours.

However, speaking on XYZ News in an interview, Professor Ernest Aryeetey stated that the Vice Chancellors are doing everything possible to ensure that the various public universities are not closed down.

He added that a lot of work is being done behind the scenes to ensure that the lecturers call off the strike and resume lecturers.