The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) has announced that its members will begin an indefinite strike on December 31, 2024. The decision was taken after the government failed to honor agreements made during earlier negotiations.
This announcement came after an emergency meeting of CETAG’s National Council held on December 20, 2024. A statement issued on December 23 revealed that the strike was a result of frustrations over repeated violations of agreements made, including those based on a compulsory arbitration award issued by the National Labour Commission (NLC) on May 2, 2023.
CETAG claims the government’s inaction has negatively affected the welfare of its members and disrupted activities in teacher education.
CETAG had earlier suspended a strike on August 20, 2024, after assurances from government representatives, including the Vice President, Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, and the Minister of Education. An agreement signed on August 19, 2024, appeared to address their concerns, but CETAG now accuses the government of failing to fulfill the promises made in that agreement.
Reasons for the Strike
According to CETAG, the strike stems from several unresolved issues:
1. Delays in migrating teachers onto the pay structure of affiliate universities, despite a 20-month wait.
2. The government’s failure to issue updated appointment letters based on an agreed staff audit.
3. Non-payment of compensation for 2022 all-year-round work, as ordered by the NLC.
4. Non-payment of additional Book and Research Allowance for staff at Akrokerri College of Education
CETAG is urging key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education, Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), and the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG), to intervene to resolve the issue and prevent disruptions to the academic calendar.
The union has made it clear that all diplomatic efforts have been exhausted and will no longer tolerate further breaches of agreements.
CETAG’s National Council has warned that if their demands are not met by December 31, 2024, the indefinite strike will proceed, disrupting teacher education nationwide.
CETAG remains firm in its demands for better treatment and urges the government to address these issues promptly. The strike is likely to have significant effects on teacher training colleges across the country, and stakeholders are being called upon to act quickly to resolve the situation.
Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
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