A retired educationist has condemned the strike by the National Association for Graduate Teachers over the controversial single spine salary structure. IK Gyasi said the teachers should have exhausted all avenues for redress before embarking on the strike. NAGRAT announced the sit-down strike on Tuesday, following a hasty implementation of the SSSS fraught with widespread distortions in salaries. The action comes against the backdrop of assurances by government that the anomalies associated with the pay policy will be rectified. Speaking to Luv News, the retired educationist sympathized with the teachers but noted the strike was a wrong move. “As an old teacher, even though I have retired, naturally my sympathy goes with the teachers,” he said. “…I was sorry to hear that NAGRAT has declared a strike. I would wish that they would at least wait until they feel they have come to a dead-end." "When you use strike as a first weapon instead of the last weapon, then it becomes a bit difficult to negotiate,” he stated. He noted the strike has dire consequences for the impending Basic Education Certificate Exams as well as the West Africa Senior Secondary Certificate Exams which is just some few weeks away and called on the authorities to resolve the impasse as soon as practicable. Meanwhile, there is still nationwide agitation by teachers for salary increases. Joy News Eastern Region correspondent Benjamin Tetteh said teachers in the Yilo Krobo District have vacated their post. He said only supporting staff were present at the various schools where he visited. According to him, some GNAT members have hit the streets and later presented a petition to the DCE for immediate resolution of their grievances. The situation in the Upper West Region is no different as Joy News' Rafiq Salam reports of compliance with the strike announced by NAGRAT. Source: Joy News/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana