Thousands of pupils across the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality in the Western Region were left stranded and eventually sent home on Monday after teachers embarked on an indefinite strike over the alleged assault of three colleagues.

The husband of a female teacher was also a victim of the alleged military brutality.

The industrial action has affected about 80 public schools in the municipality, disrupting teaching and learning activities.

Checks at some affected schools showed pupils arriving for classes only to find classrooms locked and no teachers present. With no lessons taking place, many of the pupils were later asked to return home.

The strike follows weeks of agitation by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT-GH) over the alleged assault at Adiewoso M/A Basic School.

In a statement, the unions said members have been directed to stay away from work until further notice, insisting that their key demands remain unresolved despite engagements with education authorities.

The unions are demanding a public apology from the military personnel involved, compensation for the victims, and a formal condemnation of the incident.

They acknowledged efforts by the Western Regional Director of the Ghana Education Service following a meeting on May 28, during which assurances were given regarding counselling support for the affected teachers and possible reposting of victims who may no longer feel safe at their stations.

However, the unions maintain that the interventions do not sufficiently address their concerns.

The unions further disclosed that the Western Regional Minister had invited them to a meeting on June 2 to discuss the matter.

Despite the planned engagement, they insist they will remain on strike until concrete action is taken on their demands.

The latest industrial action marks an escalation of earlier protests by teachers, including the wearing of red armbands and the issuance of ultimatums to authorities.

Education stakeholders are hopeful that discussions between the unions and government officials will lead to a swift resolution to prevent further disruption to academic work in the municipality.