Students stranded as CETAG refuses to call off strike

Students in some affected Colleges of Education across the country have been left with blank teaching boards as tutors have abandoned their post over salary concerns.

The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) on Thursday November 2, 2017 declared a nationwide strike in protest of unpaid salaries owed its members since October 2016.

Although studies has been affected, the Local Chairman of Accra College of Education, Sarfo Boadi maintains that teachers will continue to down their tools if government fails to meet their demands.

“We are really not going to allow anybody, be it political or whatever to mar this strike. The strike is an indefinite one and until our needs are met we are not going to call it off.”

However, some affected students have been left wandering about as the effect of the strike seems to have given them an untimely vacation.

The stranded students bemoan the situation, indicating that the strike is having dire effects on them particularly because they will have to take examinations regardless of the strike and its consequences.

"This will go a long way to affect our summative exams....if we are not able to study UCC date will not change. They know the importance of you sitting for a lecture and for which reason they are not turning up," a student bemoaned.

CETAG had lamented that, despite a directive by the National Labour Commission (NLC), asking the Ministry of Finance to pay the arrears within two weeks, they are yet to be paid.

According to them, per the migration of the tertiary statuses of the Colleges of Education following the passage of the Colleges of Education Act 847 in 2012, the teachers were expected to be paid the salary difference between their previous salary levels and the new salaries from January to September 2016.

Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of National Labour Commission, Ofosu Asamoah has appealed to CETAG to revoke the strike and return to post as the matter is being addressed.

“We want to once again formally appeal to members of CETAG to rescind their decision and get back to the classroom to teach,” he said.

Adding that, “…you are being assured that the necessary steps are being taken to ensure the validation of your details by the Auditors General Department which is a prerequisite for payment of your arrears. This is a clear demonstration of good faith.”

CETAG has said that, until the arrears are paid, they are withdrawing their services from the 38 colleges across the country.