CETAG strike action ‘undermines’ tertiary education system – GTEC

The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has described as negative impact on the country’s tertiary education system, the industrial action embarked on by the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG).

In an interview monitored by Thisterm.com, Prof Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, Acting Director General of the Commission said “This continual strike by CETAG does not augur well for the educational tertiary architecture that we hope for.”

In a discussion with Umaru Sanda Amadu on the ‘Face to Face‘ programme on Channel One TV, the GTEC official appealed to CETAG leadership to reconsider their decision to strike, as it diminishes the appeal of the institutions.

“I will plead with them that look we cannot continue to bastardise our institutions in this manner of continual perennial strikes because the more you go on strike the more you make your institutions unattractive,” Prof Ahmed urged.

His appeal follows the strike which commenced on June 14, 2024, by members of the CETAG from all 46 Colleges of Education to register their displeasure over the government’s refusal to better their working conditions of service.

In a related development, the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) has announced to embark on a peaceful march nationwide should the strike action by the Colleges of Education Teachers Association remain unresolved in the coming days.

This the Trainees Association in a statement said is because despite the numerous meetings and appeals there has been no progress towards resolving the strike action and addressing pressing issues faced by teacher trainees.

It also said the upcoming demonstration is to register displeasure over the continuous academic stalemate in all 46 Colleges of Education that have left students stranded with great uncertainties about the future of their education.

“The continuous strike poses security and safety threats to all students in the Colleges of Education causing serious catastrophes among students across various campuses

Furthermore, the prolonged uncertainty regarding the academic calendar places an undue financial burden on level 400 students who have committed to rental agreements,” the leadership of the Association said in the statement.

TTAG continued that “we urge all Teacher Trainees to take this notice seriously and make the necessary arrangements to embark on a nationwide protest should the CETAG strike action persist with no clear resolutions.

We also call on the government and Colleges of Education Teachers Association (CETAG) to take immediate and decisive action to resolve this strike action and address the critical issues affecting Teacher Education in Ghana.”