The President of the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana has lamented about the impact of the 40-day strike by CETAG which he says is having a “disturbing impact on students across all the colleges.” 

Razak Soale told Evans Mensah on PM Express that “Academic activities have come to a halt, other duties by CETAG have also come to an end, orientation activities for L300 students to go and have their micro-teaching activities have stalled."  

He continued, “With no security on our campuses, it is dangerous as the teachers are not available to enforce rules and regulations on the various campuses. We lost a student in the Atebubu College of Education who left campus and died in a tragic accident in Techiman. 

Read also: CETAG declares indefinite strike; 46 public colleges to suffer

“These are effects of the strike because if our teachers were around they should have been in the classroom studying. By and large, the effects of the 40-day strike are very disturbing”.

According to him, the L400 students who have to adhere to a new IN-IN-OUT policy and thus have to stay outside campus and commute to school are having to make new rent arrangements.

“These students by no fault of theirs have committed themselves to rental arrangement thinking that they will be out of school by September 7,  but with the strike, they will have to pay for their electricity and other expenses because there is likely to be an extension,” he lamented.

Mr Scale said they expected a constructive dialogue but the recent development of the threat of freezing CETAG’s salary has aggravated the issue.

Read also: GTEC directs CAGD to withhold CETAG members’ July salaries

However, it seems there is hope on the horizon.  

Read also: Significant progress made in CETAG talks with government, says PRINCOF president

The president of Principals of Colleges of Education (PRINCOF) has disclosed that government had a “very fruitful” discussion with the leadership of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association (CETAG).

Prof. Samuel Atintono told Evans Mensah on Joy News’ PM Express that “significant progress was made in the discussions” regarding a standoff between the Association and government.

He added, “The details, you get to know about soon. Not very far away. At this point, I can only say that we have had a very impressive meeting this evening. The Education Minister was in attendance and the CETAG president also came.”

Also in attendance were representatives from the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, PRINCOF, Finance Ministry, and Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTECH).